Distillery: Old Forester Distilling Co.
Region: Louisville, Kentucky
Aging: 4 Years
ABV: 45%
Proof: 90
Mash Bill: 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Non-Chill Filtered: No
MSRP Price: $40
Appearance: Amber
Old Forester 1870 Tasting Notes
Nose: Caramel, toasted oak, vanilla, buttered toast, banana, brown sugar, cinnamon, hints of citrus, orange zest
Palate: Rich caramel, buttery toasted oak, banana, vanilla, rye spice, black pepper
Finish: Medium finish with a little bit of heat to it – leaves you with a nice buttery caramel mouth feel then twists into a rye spice and pepper heat
Is Old Forester 1870 an Approachable Whiskey?
Old Forester 1870 is a little spicy for beginners. It’s got a little heat to it compared to some of the other Old Forester offerings.
That being said, the spicy pepper is a positive note that I quite enjoy.
Is Old Forester 1870 Complex?
Old Forester 1870 has a few layers of complexity.
It starts out with some nice bourbon flavors on the nose that remind me of cinnamon and brown sugar on buttered toast. Lots of caramel, vanilla, and toasted oak with a hint of citrus.
Then on the palate, you continue to get a lot of caramel, buttery toast, vanilla, and banana.
It then takes a twist and really hits you with a nice rye spice and black pepper finish.
What are Old Forester 1870’s strongest attributes/flavors?
Old Forester 1870’s strongest attribute would be the blend of sweet flavors with a spicy kick.
Is Old Forester 1870 a go-to whiskey?
Old Forester 1870 could easily be a go-to whiskey.
It’s only $40 and has a lot of flavor.
If I were going to choose though, I would probably spring for the additional $20 and get either Old Forester 1910 or Old Forester 1920.
Otherwise, I’d probably go with the cheaper option and just get the Old Forester Bourbon for a better price ($23).
Is Old Forester 1870 priced accurately to its quality?
I do think Old Forester 1870 delivers on its price tag. I just think the Old Forester 1910 and Old Forester 1920 deliver on their price tag a bit more.
Conclusion for Old Forester 1870
Recently, I visited the Old Forester Distillery on my Kentucky Bourbon Trail Trip birthday with my dad.
Old Forester was an excellent distillery to tour. It was right in downtown Kentucky and they did a great job of taking you through their distilling process from beginning to end where they toasted a barrel right in front of us.
At the end of our tour, we got to do a whiskey tasting that consisted of Old Forester 1870, Old Forester 1897, Old Forester 1910, and Old Forester 1920.
I had already tasted and reviewed all of these whiskeys, but they were new to my dad.
Generally, everyone’s favorite is either the Old Forester 1910 or the Old Forester 1920. They cost a little more, but are worth the price tag.
If you like a more subtle and smooth bourbon, the Old Forester 1910 is a great choice.
If you like a bolder bourbon, the Old Forester 1920 is for you.
After the tasting though, we decided that all 4 whiskeys were worth the price tag and it really just came down to how much you wanted to spend on a bottle.
We lucked out and actually got a chance to taste the Old Forester Birthday Bourbon and The President’s Choice.
They were two of the best whiskeys I tasted on the entire trip.
You really can’t go wrong buying any Old Forester bottles and they really are some of my best go-to whiskeys to both drink neat and to use in cocktails.
They make for an excellent old-fashioned.
Let Us Know What You Think
I hope you enjoyed this tasting experience with me.
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Thanks for reading and cheers!
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