Old Forester Whisky

Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky

America’s First Bottled Whisky

Old Forester has been made in the same classic style since the very beginning. Only 15 barrels of Old Forester are distilled at one time, allowing the bourbon to be closely watched at every step of production. Old Forester is truly bourbon unchanged.

The Grains
Old Forester is made with an exacting grain recipe of corn, rye and malted barley. Possessing one of the highest rye contents of any whiskies, (approximately 50 percent more rye content compared to its competitors which generally use 12 percent), Old Forester offers a uniquely full, rich, genuine character.

The Old Forester recipe also calls for 10 percent malted barley, which brings along a malty, nutty flavor.

Steadman mills, unique basket-shaped mills, are used to ground the grain, so it is never scorched. This process also allows for a customized grind, which means the grain can be grounded to perfection.
The Yeast
Old Forester is fermented with a proprietary yeast strain that is still grown fresh daily at the distillery. The fermentation process, which takes five to seven days, is slightly longer than most bourbon, which usually takes three days. By lengthening the fermentation process a deeper range of complex flavors is produced.

The Distillation Process
Old Forester is distilled twice and a “thumper” is used when redistilling the spirit vapor. The thumper eliminates more impurities than other processes. The result is a cleaner, crisper spirit as it comes in contact with the barrel.

The Barrel
Brown-Forman is the only distillery company to make its own barrels, and therefore has complete control of the barrel’s contribution to the bourbon’s taste characteristics. The barrel’s toast and char layers give Old Forester its rich caramel and vanilla flavor and 100 percent of its color.

The Cycled Warehouse
A cycled warehouse controls the cycling, or expansion and contraction of the bourbon in and out of the barrel’s wood wall. This cycling process brings about the maturation of the bourbon. When the temperature is raised, the bourbon expands. When it is lowered, the bourbon contracts. This represents one cycle. Old Forester’s cycling process takes place in a climate-controlled brick warehouse, allowing quality to be measured and upheld.

Maturation
Unlike other bourbons who define themselves by age, Old Forester is bottled when Chris Morris, master distiller judges the whisky ready. This ensures superior, consistent taste every time.