November 17th, 2011
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 12 year old 1999, 49%, $50
Rather bold (especially with the spice notes), with dark fruit (black raspberry jam, plum), citrus glaze, vibrant spice (vanilla, cinnamon, clove), a dusting of cocoa powder, polished leather, and pencil shavings, all on a bed of caramel. Long, spicy finish. A nice way to finish a rich, hearty meal, perhaps?
Advanced Whisky Advocate magazine rating: 88
September 14th, 2010
This year’s release of Old Forester’s Birthday Bourbon, a 12 year old from 1997, will (hopefully) be heading to a retailer near you soon. This one is pretty spicy, but I like it!
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, 1997 Vintage, 12 year old, 47.5%, $50
Big and spicy, but contrasted by layers of sweetness. Vibrant dried spice (warming cinnamon, crisp mint, nutmeg, cigar box), caramel, nougat, hint of chocolate fudge laced with coconut, black raspberry and dried citrus. Very warming on the finish, with a nice resinous grip without being over-oaked. A very dynamic whiskey.
Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 91
August 26th, 2009
I just received word that this year’s expression of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is being released. I got the press release (see bits of it below) with more details if you are interested.
I should be getting a review sample of this by the end of the week and will let you know my thoughts after I review it.
Old Forester Releases 2009 Birthday Bourbon Edition
Award Winning Bourbon Celebrates Founder’s BirthdayLouisville, Ky. – Old Forester has released this year’s expression of its Birthday Bourbon in honor of George Garvin Brown, the founder of Louisville-based Brown-Forman and Old Forester, America’s First Bottled Bourbon™. Launched seven years ago to commemorate Brown’s Birthday on September 2, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is a limited-edition, historically award-winning bourbon and a must-have for bourbon enthusiasts.
“This year’s vintage release of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is crafted from a 98 barrel batch,” said Chris Morris, master distiller of Old Forester. “These barrels were stored in the small warehouse B and larger warehouse J, on their 5th and 8th floors respectively. These upper floor locations exposed the barrels to a great degree of heat during the summer months which resulted in a rich, complex maturation profile.”
Unlike the standard Old Forester, which is a blend of whisky from several different years, Birthday Bourbon is a vintage-dated bourbon, hand-selected by Morris from one specific day of production. The result is a one-of-a-kind character and flavor that will never be replicated again. Its unique decanter style glass bottle is a throwback to the late 1800’s when Old Forester was first produced.
Since its introduction in 2002, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon has received unprecedented acclaim and has collected honors from USA Today, Malt Advocate, Wine & Spirits Magazine, and Santé. A favorite among critics, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon has taken home gold from numerous tasting competitions including a gold medal in the 2005, 2006 & 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The 2007 expression was also named American Whiskey of the Year at WhiskyFest New York.
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, a Brown-Forman product, has a suggested retail price of $39.99 and is sold at most liquor stores with a wide and varied range of bourbons. The 2009 edition of Birthday Bourbon is bottled at 97 proof, to correspond with the year it was distilled, 1997.
July 8th, 2009
Our wait for this year’s Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is nearly over. My sources at Brown-Forman tell me the whiskey is being bottled next week. Here’s some information I received on it:
This year’s vintage release of Old Forester is crafted from a 98 barrel batch of 97C19. These barrels were stored in the small warehouse B and larger warehouse J, on their 5th and 8th floors respectively. These upper floor locations exposed the barrels to a great degree of heat during the summer months which resulted in a rich, complex maturation profile.
Depending on the market, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, a Brown-Forman product, retails for $39.99 and is sold at most liquor stores with a wide and varied range of bourbons. The 2009 edition of Birthday Bourbon is bottled at 97 proof to correspond with the year it was distilled, 1997.
I’ll be getting a review sample of the product soon after it’s bottled, so stay tuned.
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