Review #211 - Old Forester "1915"
Old Forester "1915," a popular homemade blend of two of Old Forester's Whisky Row bottlings: 1910 'Old Fine Whisky' and 1920 'Prohibition Style.' The blending formula is simple: 50% of the mix is 1910, and the other 50% is 1920. After mixing a large sample of the two, we let the blend marry together for a few days before the first tasting.
Based on the 46.5% ABV of 1910 and the 57.5% ABV of 1920, we get a final strength of 52% for the blend, a nice middle ground. The 1920 should add a nice heat, while 1910 will bring some stronger oak notes due to its double-oaked maturation; since they're produced at the same distillery, we're hoping the distillate will blend together somewhat seamlessly.
Old Forester "1915"
USA - Bourbon
Price Paid: USD 56 (Average of the two bottle prices)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 52% ABV
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 2 months; bottles at 100%, 30%, and 20% (blind tasting) fill levels at times of review. Tasted in a Glencairn glass each time, rested 10-15 minutes
Nose: Rich and dessert-like: syrupy cherries, bananas, chocolate syrup, sweet caramel apple, and brown sugar. There's a hint of white pepper and maple from the oak, which grows stronger with time; later, even more sweet scents, like raw sugar, tiramisu, and molasses.
Palate: Velvety consistency, a medium-thick mouthfeel. Some warmth builds, along with oak tannins and peppery heat, but the sweet flavors are still the star: cinnamon rolls, brown sugar, molasses, and chocolate. After airing out for a while, a slightly nutty side appears, with nutmeg and more pepper.
Finish: Lingering notes of chocolate syrup, cherry, butterscotch, and salted caramel - a serious sugar bomb. Again, oak adds a tickle of spice like white pepper and dry tannins, but the main focus is dessert flavors. Cheap chocolate milk and stronger oak make up the aftertaste.
Final Note: Better than the sum of its parts, which isn't always the case with blends; in fact, we would say that usually isn't the case. This nicely meshes the strength of the 1920 with the oakiness and dessert flavors of the 1910, creating a whisky that's better than either one individually. Because the prices of both bottles are somewhat reasonable, this gets quite a good value rating, too - a great little experiment, and a strong recommendation to try if you happen to have both bottles.
Our Average Rating: 7.1 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 7.23
Check out our other Old Forester reviews:
Review #191 - Old Forester 100 Proof Rye
