BACKGROUND: The 1897 Bottled In Bond expression was the second of four releases in the Old Forester Whiskey Row series of bourbons, which highlights various periods in the Brown-Forman company’s history. The other Whiskey Row releases include the 1870, which symbolically evokes the original batching process of the first Old Forester bourbon, the 1920, which represents the company’s transition to a medicinal whiskey supplier during the 13 years of Prohibition, and the 1910, a heavily-oaked bourbon highlighting a bottling line fire that occurred at the distillery in the early 20th Century. The 1897 celebrates passaged of the federal Bottled In Bond Act, which was promoted by large distillers seeking to combat rectifiers that sold low-end, sub-par products under the bourbon standard. In order to be marketed as “bottled in bond,” a bourbon must meet stringent guidelines outlined in the federal law. The guidelines stipulate it must be the product of one distillery during one distilling season, it must be aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least four years, and it must be bottled at 100 proof. The Old Forester 1897 is made from a mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% barley. It is bottled at 100 proof, as stipulated by the BIB Act, and, because it carries no age statement and must meet the BIB federal requirements, we know if is aged at least four years. NOSE: The nose offers an interesting combination of both light and dark notes. The red apple, citrus, and banana scents you would find in a fresh fruit salad are married with oak, leather, and musty goodness that the inside of a rustic rick house offers. PALATE: A surprisingly full-bodied palate possesses the same apple, citrus, and banana that were present in the nose, but black pepper and spice are equally strong and prominent. The sweet and savory aspects are each the distinct opposite of the other, but they marry together perfectly. FINISH: The extra-long finish consists of oak and barrel char, but the well-defined flavor of chocolate mint swirls strongly on the back end. It offers a good bit of mouth heat kick - perhaps from rye spice - but absolutely no chest hug follows. FINAL ASSESSMENT: As noted earlier, the Old Forester 1897 offers competing and opposite flavors that combine exceptionally well. If you like the Brown- Forman taste profile - including its trademark banana presence - you will enjoy this 1897 Bottled In Bond. If Brown-Forman ain’t your bag, I recommend you go in another direction. I have sampled all of the Old Forester Whiskey Row series offerings with the lone exception of the 1870 and have, to this point, enjoyed each of them immensely.