Old Forester 1897 Bottled In Bond

It smells fruity and rich (and also fairly alcoholic). There's a spicy element that is very cinnamony and mixes with some nice fruity cherry, red apple, and vanilla. There's plenty of richness, but it doesn't overwhelm. That warm alcohol sweetness comes out here, which is really helpful. The complexity falls below that of the Old Forester 1870, but the flavors are nice. It reminds me a bit of Knob Creek Single Barrel. There's a bit of a bitter herbal something back there somewhere, but it is within the realm of reason. There's sweetness and some toffee that blends well with the fruit. There's some cocoa with a hint of espresso, but it's not a ton. This is generally a rich sweet whiskey that I'd be happy to drink, but I appreciate more complexity; this mainly focuses on a single nice flavor. It's good at the price, but the 1870 is a little cheaper and better. There's more alcohol on the finish than I'd like, but throughout it's pretty good. Something a little peanuty comes through with a big sip, but it is something alcoholic and bitter too. It smells somewhat rich with some clear fruit and not a huge hit of alcohol. The palate is fairly rich and it has a big burst of fruit with a clear cherry syrup presence. This certainly reminds me of Old Forester Signature, including that bitter note backing the whole thing. It's not terribly complex, but it's nice. It's a lot like regular Old Forester, but maybe a bit more rounded. A bigger sip reveals more rich wood that's a bit musty but has an aged smoothness. It's pretty good, standing a little bit above Old Forester Signature (but not much). It's really the same flavor profile with the fruit, spice, and smoke dialed down. Actually, maybe it's a tad below Old Forester Signature. It isn't super complex and while its presence wish nice, the alcohol still comes through. It may not be as good as Jim Beam Black.

Good, but when sipped back to back with 1920...1920 is so much better