Distiller: Old Forester 

Release: 2020

Bourbon: 1910

Region: Louisville, Kentucky

Price: $55.00

Proof: 93

Age: N/A

The Barrel Cellar Score:  93 Points

Review Date: 07/20/2020

About the Bourbon:  Old Forester claims credit for producing the first bottled bourbon.  The real credit it deserves is for producing consistently quality bourbons with both strong and unique character.  1910 is Old Forester’s double-barreled offering from its “Whiskey Row” series.  Master Distiller Chris Morris produces it to emulate Owsley Brown’s original “private stock” bourbon in both method and taste.  After its initial aging, it is finished in a second heavily charred barrel.

I enjoyed the whiskey for this review using a set of Prestige diamond whiskey glasses.

Color: Maple Syrup

Nose:  Vanilla, cherry syrup, banana nut bread, molasses, and oak.

Taste: Tea leaves, sugar cookies, banana nut bread. Drop a couple of cubes in and notes of bubblegum, smoke, toasted coconut, and black pepper emerge. Finish: Banana Creme and oak

Assessment: In an environment where bourbon is heavily allocated and increasingly difficult to find, Old Forester 1910 is a blessing. It’s easy to find and it is exceptional. First the nose; it’s complex and strong with the notes of banana nut bread being particularly strong and pleasing. There are so many flavor notes in this, my palate seems to pick up new ones with every glass. Like with the nose, front and center are notes of Banana nut bread; they really make this bourbon shine, with the most pleasing aspect being the taste of the caramelization of a perfectly done crust. 1910 is a full bodied and smooth sipper. The distiller’s choice to keep the proof reserved (93) deserves praise; the flavor notes are allowed to show themselves rather than be held back by the heat and spiciness of a high proof. The bourbon seems to pair well with about anything I’ve tried, but it is particularly well suited for something sweet. I found Smores by a campfire a particularly great compliment. If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and buy a bottle!

Old Forester 1910 is an exceptional bourbon.  93 points.

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