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Old Forester, during Prohibition, was one of a handful of American distilleries able to remain open because the federal government issued it one of six permits – P-3 – to bottle existing whiskey stocks as medicine. In 1924, Old Forester acquired barrels from closed distillers with different mash bills and bottled that liquid as Old Forester.
A recent new release from its Whiskey Row Series, Old Forester 1924, celebrates this point in the brand’s history. This bourbon, which is what I’m reviewing today, is a 10-year-old age-stated expression with a mash bill of 79% corn, 11% rye, and 10% malted barley. This varies slightly from the traditional Old Forester recipe of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley.
Marking the fifth installment in the Whiskey Row Series, this bourbon is bottled at 50% ABV and priced at $115. It is available nationwide at participating retailers and at Old Forester Distilling Co.
Old Forester is noted as Brown-Forman’s founding brand, founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown. This particular bourbon follows 100 years after its namesake’s impact on Old Forester’s 153-year history.