Old Forester 1897 Bottled In Bond

A fine whisky from OF, fits right in with the reat id the line. OF, is taking the second spot on my fav list, jusy under Knob Creek. Good stuff. All down the line.

This is the final taste of the bottle, enjoyed neat from a grappa copita. The nose off this polished walnut liquid is sweet with caramel, waxy crayons, burnt sugar, and slight ethanol. These notes lie on a bed of cherry cough drops. Its moderately complex, appealing and inviting but not exceptional in any way. On the palate this is slightly drier than the 1910. It doesn't have the sweetness or lushness of that expression, which is my favorite so far of the Old Forester Whiskey Row series. That said, it does have a measure of sweetness all its own that's balanced nicely by oak, barrel char and a hint of woody bitterness. The finish is moderate and fades to a dry, oaky smolder of black pepper. I've had this neat, on ice and in several cocktails. This was really at its peak in an Old Fashioned, particularly if a bit of Luxardo cherry syrup is used as the sweetener. It's quite good in almost any whiskey forward stirred cocktail. And maybe that's the problem with this expression. At near $55 it's not twice as good as Wild Turkey 101, or Knob Creek. It's a good cocktail whiskey, but it's priced with solid sippers that offer more complexity and a richer experience. 1897 is good stuff, but not exceptional.

Nose: Subtle grain, corn, like freshly baked bread Palate: Vanilla, baking spices Finish: Short-medium with more of those baking spices, oak, leather, and a little nuttiness A solid example of how bottled in bond has created a standard of quality in bourbon. 1897 is indeed richer and fully bodied than Old Forester's standard expressions, perfect to mix into a cocktail.