Old Forester Announces 2019 Edition Birthday Bourbon - Coming September 2

Brown-Forman owned Old Forester has announced their 19th edition and highest proofed Birthday Bourbon ever (105 proof, 52.5% alcohol) with the 2019 version arriving in stores on September 2.

This new edition has an estimated run of 2,200 (six bottle) cases that will be available for purchase nationwide for an MSRP of $99.99. The entire allotment represents one full day's production at Old Forester.

Campbell Brown, Old Forester President says:

"September is a special month for us at Old Forester. We get to mark, in a public manner, through a carefully curated expression, the bourbon my great, great grandfather founded. It is a wonderful way to celebrate the legacy George left behind. And yes, I wish it was easier to locate!"

In terms of the bourbon, it has been aged 11 years and was chosen from barrels specifically for Birthday Bourbon. The tasting notes are:

Aroma: Butterscotch and toffee dominate, supported by layers of sweet melon and cornbread

Taste: Rich oak spice and blackcurrant instantly warm coupled with light maple, caramel cake and white floral notes

Finish: Peppermint tea sweetened with honey, with ever long Szechuan Peppercorn


My Take

Previous versions of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon do not show as ever being available in Ohio, but I have seen these at bars (Prohibition in Powell, OH usually has some in-stock). In terms of quality, the Birthday Bourbon has a reputation as being hard to find and potentially a bit overrated due to the price. However, this is a nice looking bourbon that would look great in any collection. If you see it out in the wild, it's worth picking up a bottle to keep on hand for special occasions and to make your friends jealous that you were able to find one of the limited bottles.

Source: Old Forester