Old Forester is a brand with a history as rich and complex as the bourbon they produce, and their latest expression pays tribute to one of the most challenging times in their history. The latest, and final, expression from the Whiskey Row Series, 1910 Old Fine Whiskey, is a double-barreled treat for bourbon lovers and a win for businesses.
Born in a Fire
Distilling spirits is both an art and a science, and advances can come from the most surprising places. In October 1910, Old Forester suffered a terrible fire which caused the bottling line to be shut down unexpectedly--and indefinitely. However, the company still had a vat of mature whisky, ready and waiting to be bottled. Rather than let the batch sit and be ruined, Old Forester’s distillers transferred the whiskey to new, charred oak casks so it could rest safely while the bottling line was rebuilt and brought back online.
Perhaps you can see where this story is going already: the final product they created became the first ever documented double-barreled whisky, one which had a singular flavor, separate and distinct from Old Forester’s flagship bourbon. The company named this new expression Very Old Fine Whiskey, in recognition of its quality and pedigree.
Rising like a Phoenix
That fiery chapter of Old Forester’s history, and the resulting bourbon, might have faded from modern memory, were it not for another, happier, accident at the company.
“There are often pieces of our brand’s history that we happen upon by accident,” said Chris Morris, Master Distiller and Vice President of Whiskey Innovation at Brown-Forman, said in a recent statement. “Years ago, while searching through archives, we discovered a case of bourbon with a label I hadn’t seen before. We uncovered that Very Old Fine Whisky not only carried a great story, but a previously unknown heritage of double-barreled expressions,” he explained.
Now, Old Forester has revived the improvised techniques which first produced Very Old Fine Whiskey and undertaken a second barreling, using a lightly toasted, heavily charred barrel to create the (all new) 1910 Old Fine Whiskey, a tribute to Old Forester’s history as well as their indomitable drive to create better bourbon.
“Mature Old Forester enters a second barrel at 100 proof, just as it did in 1910,” said Old Forester Master Taster Jackie Zykan in a statement from the company. “The second barrel is charred nearly to the point of incineration. This low entry proof allows more of the wood’s sugars to be dissolved into the whiskey, resulting in a smooth, sweet whisky with a clean, spicy finish–yielding an exceptional character.”
A Strong Finish
1910 Old Fine Whiskey caps off the historic Whiskey Row series, launched back in 2014. The series is inspired by the unique, fascinating history of Old Forester. The brand’s storied history has always been appealing to consumers, and this series highlights some of their most significant milestones.
“Old Forester has endured nearly 150 years of uninterrupted history and has survived prohibition, world wars and changing consumer tastes,” said Old Forester President Campbell Brown in a statement. “The Whiskey Row series is a great way for consumers to taste through Old Forester’s unique 148-year history.”
The series includes 1870 Original Batch, a small batch bourbon pulling from three distinct warehouses, meant to reference founder George Garvin Brown’s original batching process; 1897 Bottled in Bond, a small batch of barrels from one distilling season, in the same year, aged in a federally bonded warehouse for a minimum of four years; and 1920 Prohibition Style, which represents a barrel strength of the prohibition era when Old Forester was granted one of just ten permits nationally to continue being sold as a medicinal whiskey.
Talk to your Breakthru Sales Consultant about adding the Whiskey Row series to your order and grow your business with Old Forester.