Released every September, all the barrels used to create this bourbon are from a single day’s production. This year only 13,200 were released, making it very hard to find. Kris traded an Elijah Craig 18 year for this (and delicious samples) for my birthday, what a great guy!

“This particular lot of barrels is unusual because it matured in the same warehouse location instead of multiple sites. The lot aged near a window and close to a heat cycling duct, exposing all of the barrels to very high temperatures, resulting in the very robust, intense wood-derived characteristics exhibited by this exceptional vintage.” – Chris Morris, Brown-Foreman Master Distiller

Check out my review of last year’s here!

Company: Brown-Foreman Corporation

Distillery: Old Forester

Location: Lousiville, KY

Mash Bill: 72% corn/13% rye/15% barley

Age: 12 years

ABV: 50% (100 proof)

Released: 2015 (limited annual release every September 2nd)

Price: $70-$80

Color: Golden Amber Gal

Nose: Strong nose, malt, chocolate, cherry, fruit roll-up, orange, oak, very nicely balanced.

Taste: Spice, dark chocolate, malt,  a little malted milk ball-ish actually.

Finish: Slight heat, slightly dry, finish is short with a bit of warmth in your throat, nice finish.

Overall: I’m not disappointed with this Bourbon, I do wonder a little about the price hike, It’s a little crazy that we paid $40 (MSRP was $60) for last year’s version, and this one ran around $80, Bourbon is definitely booming. Or maybe I’m just spoiled to Oklahoma pricing.  If you get a chance to get your hands on one, I wouldn’t pass it up. It’s not as sweet as last year’s, I have a soft spot in my heart for last year’s, so I lean slightly more that way, but this one is just a delicious just in a different way and balanced nicely.

(And, Kris likes this year’s better, he thinks it’s a more amped up version of last year’s. ) To each their own, that’s what drinking Bourbon is all about.

Rating: 4/5