Distilled By: Old Forester / Brown-Forman
Location: Louisville, KY
Parent Company: Brown-Forman Distillers Company
Class: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
Proof: 100 (50% ABV)
Age: NAS (at least 4 years old)
Mashbill: 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
This 100-proof second release of the Whiskey Row Series was called Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond in honor of the U.S. Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 was introduced to curb the growing trend of rectifiers adulterating whiskey with additives such as tobacco, iodine and wood chips in an effort to shortcut the flavoring and coloring that is normally acquired through aging. A whiskey now labeled as “bonded” cannot have any additives other than water. The distillate must be a product of one distiller in one distilling season. It must also be aged in a government-supervised warehouse for at least four years before bottled at exactly 100 proof. Old Forster is the oldest continually-operated distillery in the United States and was the first to sell their bourbon exclusively in sealed bottles, beginning in 1870.
BSG REVIEW:
Color: Copper with thin, light legs down the glass
Nose: Heavy caramel, vanilla and coffee, some light floral and fruit notes. A little alcohol burn.
Palate: Black cherry, vanilla, caramel and just enough oak and spice to keep it interesting.
Finish: Long and sweet with a little spiciness to round it out. Savory for more than a minute after it’s down.
The Old Forster 1897 Bottled in Bond is a worthy tribute to the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. It’s right in line with the flavor profile I expected after reviewing the first release in the Whiskey Row Series: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch. However, the increased proof of the Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond gives this release a slight edge over the 1870 Original Batch in complexity.
Check out the BSG Review for the rest of the Old Forester Whiskey Row series (1870, 1920, 1910) and the movie tie-in release, Statesman.
BSG Score: 89/100
