Fafnir187
Old Forester Single Barrel Bourbon Barrel Strength
Bourbon — Kentucky, USA
Reviewed
May 10, 2022 (edited August 14, 2022)
“Hundred North Bar & Kitchen” pick, 131.3 proof.
Nose explodes with Maraschino cherry, French vanilla, furniture varnish, cola, flan, banana, barrel char, oak, and if I may be honest a decent amount of ethanol. But it IS 130+ proof so…forgivable.
Palate is PUNCHY and features basically everything present in the nose in nice balance; so as not to be redundant with the individual notes I will just say we have rich vanillas and caramels, layered with fruit, spice, and wood. Cohesive.
Finish goes on for what seems like days, as the maraschino cherry from the nose and palate morphs into black cherry, along with pink peppercorn, toasted marshmallow, cinnamon, and significant oak presence to add some balancing bitterness. Prickly heat pushes through which has the net effect of adding some effervescence, and the mouthfeel is full bodied and oily.
Overall pretty damn stellar and a great example of what I am looking for in a barrel proof bourbon. If you aren’t already a fan of the Old Forester profile this probably will not change your mind; it’s basically 1920 on steroids. But if you dig 1920 as I do, then don’t pass up the rare opportunity to snag a bottle as you won’t be disappointed. At the $85 I paid, it’s worth every penny.
85.0
USD
per
Bottle
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