Old Forester 1924 10 Year Old Bourbon Review

If you’re swinging through Louisville, Kentucky and visiting the beautiful downtown Old Forester distillery in the heart of Whiskey Row, you’re likely to walk away with a keener understanding of what an age statement does and does not truly imply in the world of bourbon whiskey. The flagship Old Forester year-round brands are a great educational tool for this purpose, because none of them historically carry age statements. From the basic 86 proof Old Forester bourbon, to the sought-after bottles of the Whiskey Row series such as 1910 Old Fine Whisky and 1920 Prohibition Style, the Brown-Forman company has always erred on letting the liquid speak for itself, demonstrating along the way that “age” is a largely meaningless figure for bourbon–especially when you’re talking about a company using heat-cycled warehouses, which dramatically speeds up the maturation process in the first place. Typically, only the annual Birthday Bourbon release carries a real age statement, but this is about to change with the release of the Whiskey Row Series’ newest addition, Old Forester 1924. And this bourbon is unlike the typical OF product in more ways than one.

To start with, as implied, Old Forester 1924 is the first entry in the Whiskey Row series to carry any concrete age statement, which is 10 years. But on an even deeper level, this is unlike the classic Old Forester bourbon distillate, because for the first time in modern Old Forester history it also comes from a different mash bill than the classic 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley. Every single existing Old Forester bourbon is based on that same recipe, being differentiated through the intricacies of aging, blending and secondary maturations. But Old Forester 1924 is a tribute to a particularly odd footnote in the company’s Prohibition-era history, when the company purchased barrels of whiskey from other distilleries that had been closed down by the Federal prohibition of alcohol. Operating with its medical whiskey license, Old Forester was able to bottle and present those other well-aged bourbons as “Old Forester,” and the 1924 is a tribute to that strange era. This mash bill is 79% corn, 11% rye and 10% malted barley. That’s the same as Brown-Forman’s Early Times mash bill, which makes a lot of sense.

So what we have here is pretty much a different beast entirely for the Old Forester brand: An extra aged, age-stated bourbon from a different mash bill, a calculated departure from the usual. It’s intended as a “permanent” addition to the lineup, but a limited, annual release at the same time. And unfortunately, it comes with the expected major price bump: MSRP on Old Forester 1924 is a rather painful $115.

Now, in a vacuum, that number isn’t hugely surprising given that whiskey geeks are becoming increasingly inured to paying out the nose for “limited edition” bourbon releases of questionable quality. But where it suffers is in a direct comparison to the rest of the Whiskey Row Series lineup, bottles whose price points tend to reflect the market of a few years ago more than the hype-inflated level of today. It’s going to be inherently difficult for the 1924 to be interpreted as any kind of decent value at $115 when the Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style (at 115 proof) is still on the shelves at $60, even without an age statement. Please note: This is not a call to say “1920’s price needs to rise,” though that is probably what will end up happening anyway. But it does mean that Old Forester 1924 is starting in an unenviable position, in terms of making its pitch, especially considering that 1924 is bottled at a mere 50% ABV (100 proof), the same as the perennially underrated Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond, which retails for a mere $50. This is the downside of Brown-Forman already offering high-value bottles in its own lineup.

All these things together mean that Old Forester 1924 really needs to stand out in a big way if it wants to justify its new spot in the Whiskey Row Series. So with that said, let’s get to tasting it.

On the nose, the 1924 is rich in old oak aromatics, along with prominent butterscotch and something in the vein of freshly baked dough/pastry, suggesting cinnamon buns. There’s a lot of warm spice here, somewhat oak derived in tone, with flashes of allspice and baked apples, along with nutty cocoa. Over time this nose really opens up more and displays lots of pleasantly warm-toasty-spicy dimensions. It’s not a particularly flashy or bombastic nose, but it’s a very comforting one. This absolutely feels like cold weather season bourbon to me, for what it’s worth.

On the palate, the 1924 opens with warm, woody spice. This has a lot of seasoned oak/woodpile/rickhouse type character to it, enlivened with baking spice and flashes of some bright red berries that are slightly tart, evoking cranberry or raspberry. It’s not quite as sweet on the palate as one might expect, instead favoring tingly peppercorns, graham cracker and some very dark chocolate. It’s actually slightly hot overall for the relatively lower proof point, though this is an impression that is also derived from its unexpected spiciness. It’s surprising that the spice is such a large component of the flavor profile here given the lower rye mash bill, but the 10 years in heat-cycled warehouses has clearly drawn out a lot of oak spice, some of which is reading with chile-like heat. It also contributes a moderate degree of tannin, resulting in a moderately dry finish to what is mostly a mildly sweet palate.

All in all, the effect here is one that is pretty well balanced, but arguably missing an extra gear or level of assertiveness that the consumer may be expecting given the elevated price point. I particularly find myself admiring the nose of Old Forester 1924, but I simultaneously wish it had the depth of sweetness and verve that I’ve found in the stronger 1920 Prohibition Style in the past. That bottle will probably remain the most versatile go-to in the Whiskey Row Series in the past, though I expect the 1924 will find ardent fans among those looking for a composed, oak-forward dram. As for the price? It is what it is, which is a symbol of the times. Personally, I’m glad that the full range exists, allowing the consumer to seek out the bottle that works best for them.

Distillery: Old Forester (Brown-Forman)
City: Louisville, KY
Style: Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey
ABV: 50% (100 proof)
Availability: Limited, 750 ml bottles, $115 MSRP

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident liquor geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.