Old Forester: The 117 Series Bourbon / Extra Old
The Stats
- Distillery: Brown-Forman Shively Distillery
- Location: Louisville, KY
- Type: Straight Bourbon finished in a secondary heavily charred oak barrels for roughly 18 months
- Age: NAS, aged at least 4 years per TTB regulations
- Proof: 93 (46.5% ALC/VOL)
- Mash Bill: 72% Corn / 18% Rye / 10% Malted Barley
- Release: January 2025
- Price: $65
To carry forward one of Old Forester’s most beloved releases, the 117 Series dives deeper into its 1910 story. This second batch of 1910 Extra Old takes its classic double-barreled bourbon and extends the secondary aging period to a full 18 months in heavily charred oak. Bottled at 93 proof in a 375 mL “cute little bottle,” it’s less a novelty and more a patient experiment, showing how extra time in fire-kissed oak can evolve a favorite profile.
Extra Time in the Extra Char
The original 1910 “Old Fine Whiskey” was born out of an accident; a 1910 fire forced Old Forester to re-barrel bourbon that was ready to bottle. That double-oaked whiskey became a staple and, by 2018, the fourth release in the Whiskey Row Series. With Extra Old, Old Forester explores: what if we doubled down again? The result is darker, spicier, and dessert-leaning, with oak and char turned up a notch. Priced around $65 (375 mL) and limited to distillery and select Kentucky releases, it’s aimed squarely at enthusiasts.
Tasting Notes
Aroma
Brown sugar and cinnamon marshmallow upfront, rounded by maple syrup, cocoa powder, and toasted oak. Hints of mahogany, library wood, and dried fruit—think sugar plum or raisin—add depth.
Taste
Fudge and dark cocoa dominate, layered with vanilla custard, maple, and light caramel. A thread of leather and rye spice provides structure. While complex, the palate leans thinner than expected, giving it a drier edge compared to the lush sweetness of standard 1910.
Finish
Medium length, gently drying. Nutty cocoa, aged oak, and spice taper into char and molasses. A lingering mix of dessert notes without tipping into cloying territory.
🔒 Artfully Bourbon Rating
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