Distillery

Old Forester whiskies

Old Forester is the brand Brown-Forman was born with and one of the bourbons with the most history in the United States. Its distillery is on Whiskey Row, the old street of Louisville’s whiskey merchants, in Kentucky. The brand prides itself on having been the first bourbon sold only in sealed bottles, to guarantee its quality, and on having been sold without interruption before, during and after Prohibition.

Founded
1870
Owner
Brown-Forman
Origin
Kentucky, United States
In the catalogue
6 whiskies

History, style and where to startSee it on the world map

6 whiskies

Guide to Old Forester

History

George Garvin Brown, a pharmaceutical salesman from Louisville, launched Old Forester in 1870. At the time whiskey was sold in bulk and often adulterated, so his idea of selling it only in sealed bottles was a guarantee for the doctors who prescribed it. During Prohibition the company obtained a permit to sell whiskey for medicinal purposes, which allowed it to stay active. Over time Brown-Forman grew into a big group, also owner of Jack Daniel’s. At the end of the 2010s the brand opened its own distillery on Whiskey Row.

House style

Old Forester’s style is classic and spicy: caramel, vanilla, banana, toasted oak, cinnamon and pepper, with a medium body. The recipe has a significant share of rye. 86 Proof is the entry version, smooth and balanced, designed for drinking neat or in cocktails. The brand’s higher-strength versions, which pay tribute to different eras of its history, gain oak, spice and body. It is an old-school bourbon with plenty of personality for its price.

Average flavour profile of its 6 whiskies in the catalogue

Sweet
3.4
Fresh fruit
2.5
Ripe and dried fruit
0.9
Floral and herbal
0.8
Cereal and malt
1.5
Vanilla and creamy
2.8
Oak
2.6
Spicy
2.9
Toasted
2.0
Smoky
0.1
Maritime
0.0
Body and intensity
3.0

Where to start

Old Forester 86 Proof is the catalogue’s entry and a good classic bourbon for getting to know the history of the category. You’ll like it if you’re after a traditional bourbon, with sweetness and spice. It is very good in an Old Fashioned. If you like it, compare it with Woodford Reserve, from the same house, to see another interpretation of bourbon. Drink it neat or on the rocks.

This text was generated and translated by AI and may contain errors. Founding year, owner and official website come partly from Wikidata.

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