Product Description
THE BARTENDER’S BOOK
Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond is a robust Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey that pays tribute to the U.S. Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. Adhering to the act’s stringent standards, this bourbon is the product of one distillation season, one distiller, and one distillery, aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least four years, and bottled at 100 proof. The mash bill comprises 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley, contributing to its rich flavor profile. On the nose, it offers robust caramel aromas, while the palate delivers rich vanilla, roasted coffee notes, spiced dark fruit, and mature oak, culminating in a big, bold finish with layers of fruit, spice, and oak over dark caramel and vanilla. This expression is part of Old Forester’s Whiskey Row Series, celebrating significant milestones in the brand’s history.
TASTING NOTES
Taste is more than flavor. It is the full conversation between glass, nose, mouth, and memory. Here, we break each spirit into four parts:
AROMA
Robust caramel, vanilla bean, dried fruit, sweet leather, cured tobacco, dark cherry, oak, and baking spice.
PALATE
Sticky toffee, smoky wood, figs, dates, raisins, black pepper, cinnamon, vanilla, mature oak, and dark caramel.
FINISH
Big and bold; deep fruit, spice, oak, dark caramel, vanilla, and peppery warmth linger.
TEXTURE
Medium-to-full body; mouth-filling, sweet, intense, and structured by oak and spice.
STRAIGHT TALK
Strengths:
- Good caramel, dark fruit, oak, and spice balance.
- More body and structure than the lighter Old Forester bottles.
- Has a clear historical reason to exist within the Whiskey Row lineup.
- A strong middle-ground bottle: classic, bold, but not overwhelming.
Weak Spots:
- Can feel dry, oaky, or spice-heavy.
- Less immediately charming than 1910 and less dramatic than 1920.
- Some may find it sturdy rather than exciting.
Bottom Line:
A credible, old-school-leaning bourbon with real structure. Honest read: not the flashiest Whiskey Row bottle, but a solid, historically grounded expression that works well for drinkers who like caramel, oak, spice, and dark fruit over dessert sweetness.
THE MIX
| Category | Pairing Logic |
|---|---|
| Citrus | Orange peel, blood orange, Meyer lemon, lemon zest, and restrained grapefruit work best. Orange bridges the caramel, vanilla, dried fruit, and oak; grapefruit gives the tobacco and spice a drier edge. |
| Fruit | Best with fig, date, raisin, dried cherry, baked apple, pear, plum, banana, and dried apricot. The fruit should feel dried, baked, or dark rather than tropical or bright. |
| Spice / Herbs | Black pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, tobacco leaf, mint, and thyme fit the Bottled-in-Bond structure. Pepper and cinnamon are especially natural because they echo the whiskey’s official flavor notes. |
| Sweet / Dessert | Strong with sticky toffee, caramel, vanilla, brown sugar, apple pie, raisin cake, bread pudding, pecan pie, gingerbread, crème brûlée, maple, and milk chocolate. Roasted coffee can work, but too much bitterness can push the oak and tobacco too dry. |
| Savory / Food | Best flavor logic with roast pork, glazed ham, smoked turkey, duck, barbecue chicken, aged cheddar, Gouda, blue cheese, mushrooms, cornbread, sweet potatoes, pecans, walnuts, brown butter, and charred root vegetables. It has enough proof, oak, and spice to handle salt, fat, smoke, and caramelization. |
| Jazz Chef Angle | The logic is Bottled-in-Bond backbone + Old Forester caramel fruit + tobacco-leather depth. Compared with 86 Proof, this is firmer and darker; compared with 1910, it is less dessert-heavy and more classic, spicy, leathery, and structured. |
A DISTILLER’S TALE
Old Forester 1897 Bottled in Bond is the Whiskey Row bottle that puts on a federal badge and says, “There will be standards in this saloon.” It honors the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, the landmark U.S. law that required bonded whiskey to come from one distillery, one distilling season, be aged at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse, and be bottled at 100 proof; Old Forester’s own history notes that the brand increased from 90 proof to 100 proof to comply with the new law. The lore is perfect Old Forester: George Garvin Brown had already built the brand around sealed-bottle trust, and 1897 takes that “no funny business” identity and gives it government paperwork. In plain terms: Old Forester 1897 is Kentucky bourbon with a notary stamp — historic, 100-proof, law-abiding, and absolutely the bottle that would ask the bartender for proper documentation before starting trouble.
MY TAKE
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