Old Forester Signature

Thanks to /u/Vynidaris for this dram.

For 140 years, Old Forester has been making bourbon. The current incarnation of Old Forester Bottled in Bond, or the closest thing to it, is Old Forester Signature. It’s no longer Bottled in Bond, however it is 100 proof, and from hand selected barrels.

I guess it was hard to keep it bottled in bond, due to the requirements. What if the barrels int he specific warehouse aren’t good enough? What if you want them from a different one? I could see that. I’ve had the original BiB (see below), and liked it alright enough. Maybe things have changed in the last 30 years.

The name comes from the fact that the founder (George Garvin Brown) used to sign all of his bottles, and that he “would be proud to have signed this one too”. Well… let’s not speak for the dead, alright? Kinda creepy and a little presumptive.

Mashbill of this one is 72% Corn, 18% Rye, & 10% Malted Barley. That’s a good amount of rye, and a high amount of corn.

Let’s see how this one tastes, shall we?

Price: N/A at the LCBO

Region: Kentucky

Abv: 50%

Colour: 5YR 4/6

Nose: Raspberry, wood, grape, sand, birch bark, rosemary

Red fruit on the nose, a lot of wood and earth, and very specific smells. I’m more of a sweets fan, personally, however I have to say I like having something different this time.

Sand is a new one for me. Nice.

Taste: Wood, peach, moss, cocoa, pepper, nutmeg, mint, almond

Woody. Quite earthy, with earth showing up all over the place, kinda like having sex on a peat farm.

Don’t have sex on a peat farm. At least outside. Or on a tractor, or you’ll get gonorrhoea.

Finish: Brown sugar, wood, melon, sprite, cocoa, cashew, cola, dry

Dry finish. More cola and sweet this time. Actually I’d say that the sweetness was building from nose, to taste, and then to finish. And it’s all in the finish, and it should be spread out.

Again, like having sex on a peat farm.

Conclusion: Decent dram. Doesn’t fail in the flavour department, just is too much of one thing at each stage. Needs to mix it up to really get to the next stage.

I can see this as a nice daily drinker, or mix, or just something inexpensive to have. I hear it’s under $30 (USD), so that’s a bonus. I’d at least have it around to serve to guests.

77/100

Bourbon review #80, Kentucky reviews #57, Whiskey Network review #538

1001 Whiskies to taste before you die review #243