Old Forester 1920
Prohibition Style
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
115 Proof
$52.99+
Review
Please enjoy our Old Forester 1920 Bourbon Review!
The Old Forester Whiskey Row Series
I thought it was time to revisit the Old Forester 1920 Bourbon, given that it seems to be a favorite of many. According to the Old Forester website, this bourbon is the third expression in the Old Forester Whiskey Row series, and aims to replicate the barrel proof of the bourbon distilled during prohibition under Old Forester’s medicinal license. The four Bourbons that make up the Old Forester Whiskey Row Series each bear a date representing a year of significance in the history of Old Forester. In addition to Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon, the other whiskeys in the Whiskey Row series are 1870 Original Batch, 1897 Bottled in Bond and 1910 Old Fine Whisky.
Whiskey vs Whisky
Note that Old Forester is one of only a few Kentucky Bourbon Distilleries which spells Whisky without the “e”. The general rule of thumb is that if a country has an “e” in its name, then whiskey from that country is spelled as “whiskey”, and vice versa. Bonus question: Do you know the other heritage distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail which also spells whisky without the “e”? (Answer: Maker’s Mark Distillery)
Tasting Notes
Let’s Taste Old Forester 1920 Bourbon!
🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn
👉🏻Nose: Banana, cherry candy, caramel, toast & brown sugar sweetness; light spearmint, cinnamon & cedar in the background; noticeable alcohol
👉🏻Taste: Caramel and simple syrup sweetness up front; oak & barrel char behind; fruits are subtle
👉🏻Finish: Flavors continue into the very long finish; banana and cherry become more noticeable again and are joined by black pepper and char which build and linger for a long time; noticeable burn (Kentucky Hug)
Summary
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon has some unique characteristics. Other than single barrels and some special releases, it is Old Forester’s highest proof bourbon. It has some fruit up front, including the banana that I often get from Old Forester whiskeys, but also some noticeable cherry. The many additional flavors add a nice complexity, and it is all on a background of caramel that continues throughout. Spiciness develops in the finish, which is not surprising given the proof.
I like the Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon, and by all rights it should be my favorite of the series. That’s because I generally prefer higher proof bourbons. In fact, when I did a tasting of the Old Forester Whiskey Row series, plus Statesman, a while back, the 1920 was my favorite. So why do I often gravitate to the 1910? Maybe because it was playing hard to get for a while? Hopefully that will not repeat itself as it seems pretty available these days. It’s probably because I like the caramel, vanilla and butterscotch of the 1910, similar to it’s Brown-Forman cousin, Woodford Double (and Double Double) Oaked. But this 1920 is really good, too! I guess I’ll just have to accept that I like them both! Cheers!
I hope you enjoyed our Old Forester 1920 Bourbon Review! Would you like to read about another Old Forester Whisky? Check out our Old Forester Barrel Strength Rye Review!
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