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Old Forester

Mass Market Bourbon

1 677

@VictorReview by @Victor

15th Oct 2012

0

  • Nose
    22
  • Taste
    19
  • Finish
    18
  • Balance
    18
  • Overall
    77

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Distribution of ratings for this: user

  • Brand: Old Forester
  • ABV: 43%

Old Forester is believed to be perhaps the earliest ongoing brand of Bourbon, having been continuously available since approximately 1771, one of ten brands authorised as "medicinal whiskey" during the US Prohibition. The brand is owned by Brown-Forman, which also owns Jack Daniels and Woodford Reserve. In addition to this standard 86 proof/43% ABV Old Forester, there is a 100 proof/50% ABV Old Forester Signature Bourbon, and special editions such as the annual release 95 proof/47.5% ABV Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, and the Old Forester 75th Anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition Bourbon. The reviewed standard Old Forester is 4 years old. This review is from a 50 ml bottle, though I have sampled this whiskey several times previously as well

Nose: strong vanilla, floral perfume of rose and carnations, maple wood flavours, and with some sharp pointed spice in the background. Very pleasant

Taste: delivery is mostly of the wood flavours. Spice increases with time and becomes strong mid-delivery. The quality of the wood flavours in the early and mid-delivery is adequate but not great

Finish: the floral and spicy bits exit after a medium time, leaving some dull wood flavours which last long. This finishes a bit to the sour and bitter side. Not a great finish

Balance: the nose is the high point here; the rest is just adequate

6 comments

@joshk
joshk commented

I have several 1/2 bottles of the 100 proof Repeal 75th Anniversary and the tasting notes are pretty similar:

oak with some spice on top.

The gift packs for these (1/2 bottle + glenclairn) can be found $8-9 around NJ.

11 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@joshk, I love the Repeal Bourbon! Where in NJ can the $ 8-9 Repeal Gift packs be found? Better yet, get 6 of them for me and I will be up there to see you, tasting samples in hand.

I consider the Repeal Bourbon to be light years better than either the 86 proof standard or 100 proof Signature Old Foresters.

11 years ago 0

@Pudge72
Pudge72 commented

Thanks for the insight on this bourbon. It has shown up in Ontario and I was curious as to its quality. This mass market bourbon is Can$37 incl. tax.

7 years ago 0

@Victor
Victor commented

@Pudge72, standard Old Forester is not bad bourbon, but you won't like it as much as you like Evan Williams Single Barrel.

7 years ago 0

@Pudge72
Pudge72 commented

Appreciate the direct comparison...apparently the LCBO knows about my love of the EWSB, because it priced at $55. The BIB is here for $37, the 1783 is $39, and the standard black label is $29.

7 years ago 0

@Frost
Frost commented

@Victor I bought a bottle of this 86 proof to compare to a bottle of Statesman I have

5 years ago 0

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