Perhaps no community in the alcohol world so fetishizes the amount of alcohol by volume as bourbon lovers. The thought process is simple, by cutting the proof of the whiskey from the barrel, you get a less flavorful product. If you spend time with these individuals, you’ll almost inevitably see that products bottled below 100 proof are looked down upon compared to their higher proof cousins. Barrel proof and cask strength rule the day, and demand high value. In the middle are many 100 proof offerings, such as Old Forester Signature 100 Proof Bourbon.
Coming in just above the 86 proof entry level offering, the 100 proof Old Forester actually has the longer lineage, dating back to the 1897 Bottled In Bond act that locked proof at 100 for bonded whiskeys. It actually wasn’t until well after World War II that the 86 proof offering was introduced (in 1959). In the low $20 price point it has both the heritage and proof to make it a compelling proposition, but is it any good?
Old Forester Signature 100 Proof Bourbon
Sight: Russet muscat (a rich, but transparent brown)
Smell: Intense notes of caramel and baked bananas lead things off. A candied cherry note comes in with a bit of spice. A vanilla extract intercedes with a bit of toasted almond and a marzipan like note. There’s a distinctly fruity and sweet note to the nose.
Sip: The body is moderate and flavor is subtle in leading off. Notes of spice creep in first, followed by toasted oak and freshly cut cherry. There are more bready notes that start to come in with a similarity to crust. There’s also a nice sort of caramel and brown sugar note that runs through with a hint of banana or apple.
Savor: The ending is relatively simple, some additional caramelized sugars and hints of spice and oak linger.
Old Forester Signature 100 Proof Bourbon is pretty easy going, and relatively robust. The most interesting (and usually love it or hate it) feature is the subtle note of banana that runs in and out. The nose has a lighter fruit character to it, and less spicing that allows the banana like note to come through. It doesn’t quite carry to the palate, but the flavor is also not stand out at 100 proof. That said, it’s very solid, and checks all the boxes for a bourbon.
In Cocktails
In an Old Fashioned, a cotton candy and candied apple element starts to present itself between the notes of oak and spice. The spice of the angostura seems to accentuate these fruity notes, and gives them a platform that leans into candied with the simple. In a certain way, it doesn’t seem to actually hold it’s own, despite getting spicier. In a Manhattan the spice notes are again dominate, but the cherry comes forward and an almond like note becomes present. On the finish, it hints at banana’s foster, toasted marshmallows, and charred oak.
In Review – Old Forester Signature 100 Proof Bourbon
The price point on Old Forester Signature 100 Proof Bourbon makes it really inviting (at only $20 in Ohio). The struggle with this bourbon is that it doesn’t quite do anything amazing. In cocktails it’s harmonious without standing out. If you’re into a more aggressive flavor profile, we recommend you try it in a smaller quantity before buying a handle or multiple bottles.
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