I’m moving through the Old Forester collection slowly but surely. I loved the rye and the Original Batch was solid. This is widely considered the crown jewel of their core range, so I’d be lying if I didn’t have high expectations. It’s worth noting that this bottle has the old label—the one with diagonal print—so while these batches aren’t labeled, it’s possible that this was bottled considerably earlier than the one you have. Nose: Classic OF vitamin notes. Toasted almond, macadamia, and walnut. Sawdust and wood. Brown sugar, nougat, and caramel. Vanilla and banana as you get past the heat into the background. Speaking of the heat, cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak notes come through in impressive force, as expected of 60%’er. Palate: More toasted almond, macadamia, and walnut. Tobacco smoke, sawdust, and wood. Banana, toffee, and vanilla custard. Apple cider. Caramel, cocoa, and brown sugar. Dried apricot and raisin. Plain glazed doughnut. Cinnamon, black pepper, clove, nutmeg, and oak. Finish: Vanilla and banana. Toasted almond, macadamia, and walnut. Tobacco smoke, cocoa, and black tea. Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black and white pepper, ginger, and oak. Heavy barrel char. Long as they make ‘em. This is probably the best bourbon on the market that hasn’t become a victim of scarcity or inflated price. The only other mainstay bourbons that exist in this stratosphere are Henry McKenna 10 and Russell’s 10. This comes out ahead of the three. The Prohibition is a behemoth of a whiskey. 5/5. Truly something to behold at what is essentially barrel proof, yet incredibly tasty even without water. It’s complex, balanced, and is the best representation of the Old Forester flavor profile I could imagine. And it’s an absolute steal at $60. It makes some of the price hikes we see with other brands seem all the more unwarranted when something is on the market. Expectations exceeded. Well done.