Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Strength for K&L

Review by: Raygun

I think of Old Forester as mostly “solid and available.” Other than OF Birthday Bourbon, of course. That aside, most of their products (1897, 1910, 1920, etc.) can be readily found, at least in my area. And maybe for that reason, don’t get a lot of hype. Enter these barrel proof single barrel picks. Maybe an attempt to create something more sought after. Let’s see if it’s justified. This was a barrel selection by K&L. Reviewed from a sample. Rested about 10 minutes. 

Distillery: Old Forester (Brown-Foreman)

Brand: Old Forester Barrel Proof Single Barrel

Region/style: Kentucky straight bourbon

ABV: 64.4% 

Age: NAS    

Cask type: New charred oak

Color: 1.3, Russet/Muscat. Natural color.

Price: Around $80

Nose: Caramel, iced tea with lemon, oak. A little bit of cinnamon. Pretty straightforward.  

Palate: Hot at first. Caramel, vanilla pudding are the most noticeable. Iced tea here, too, and that touch of cinnamon. A little banana bread sticks its head out. 

Finish: Sweet tea and banana bread with walnuts. The oak isn’t too heavy. Little bit of lemon.

Conclusion: It’s good. I wouldn’t call it competition for Stagg or anything like that. Even at barrel proof, it doesn’t have that sort of power or depth. Closer to ECBP, the recent ones, but less oak. Honestly, other than a few more proof points, I’m not sure it offers a lot more than OF 1920. It drinks nicely, but it’s not a quantum leap or anything. This particular barrel, anyway.

Buy a bottle? $80-90 seems a bit steep. 

Score: 6

Scoring Legend:

  • 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky.
  • 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category. (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
  • 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram. (Stagg Jr batch 12)
  • 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff. (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (new))
  • 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting. (Pikesville Rye)
  • 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better. (Wild Turkey 101)
  • 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink. (Maker’s Mark)
  • 50-59: Save it for mixing. (Old Grandad 114)
  • 0-49: Blech. (High West Yippee-ki-yay)

Published by Raygun

Unknown's avatar

I drank Scotch occasionally (mostly at family gatherings) for years, but started getting more interested after an introduction and tasting from a Scottish acquaintance. That led to buying my first bottle (Highland Park 12). Now 600+ spirits later, Scotch is still my first love, but I drink other whisky and dabble in brandy as well.

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