Product Description
THE BARTENDER’S BOOK
Old Forester Statesman Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky is a bold and refined expression inspired by the film Kingsman: The Golden Circle. Crafted from hand-selected casks aged in the warmest parts of the warehouse, this 95-proof bourbon offers a rich and complex flavor profile. The aroma presents notes of devil’s food cake, clove, oak spice, and raw vanilla. On the palate, it delivers flavors of buttery leather, pepper, cinnamon bark, and sharp citrus, culminating in an intense finish with hints of eucalyptus, orange cream, and caramel. This expression showcases Old Forester’s commitment to producing high-quality bourbons with distinctive character, making it a noteworthy addition to their Whiskey Row Series.
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
Devil’s food cake, clove, oak spice, raw vanilla, cherry, brown sugar, baked apple, cinnamon, seasoned oak.
PALATE
Bold and spicy; buttery leather, pepper, cinnamon bark, sharp citrus, vanilla, caramel, dark cherry, oak, and baking spice.
FINISH
Medium to long; intense spice, eucalyptus, orange cream, caramel, oak, and peppery warmth linger.
TEXTURE
Medium-bodied; smooth but assertive, with a rounded bourbon sweetness and a firm spicy/oaky grip.
STRAIGHT TALK
Strengths:
- Good cherry, brown sugar, vanilla, and spice character.
- More personality than standard Old Forester.
- Nice balance of sweetness, oak, and peppery heat.
- Movie tie-in aside, the liquid has enough substance to stand on its own.
Weak Spots:
- Can feel a little hot and spice-forward.
- Not as deep or distinctive as the best Whiskey Row releases.
- Some of the premium price is tied to branding and limited-positioning.
Bottom Line:
A solid, flavorful bourbon with real Old Forester character. Honest read: not a masterpiece, but a credible step-up bottle with enough cherry, spice, oak, and heat to feel more serious than a simple marketing release.
THE MIX
| Category | Pairing Logic |
|---|---|
| Citrus | Lemon peel, orange peel, mandarin, Meyer lemon, and restrained grapefruit work best. Citrus is central here: lemon gives lift; orange softens the Scotch’s honey, vanilla, and cocoa notes. |
| Fruit | Best with apple, pear, dried apricot, golden raisin, peach, and mild cherry. The fruit should stay orchard-fruited and lightly dried, not heavy, tropical, or syrupy. |
| Spice / Herbs | Ginger, cinnamon, coriander, rosemary, mint, thyme, light black pepper, and soft baking spice make sense. Buchanan’s Master has more herbal lift than the 12 or 18, so rosemary and mint are more natural here than with the softer blends. |
| Sweet / Dessert | Strong with vanilla, almond cake, lemon pound cake, shortbread, honey cake, milk chocolate, praline, caramel, and citrus custard. Dark chocolate can work in moderation, but heavy coffee or molasses would make it feel thinner. |
| Savory / Food | Best flavor logic with roast chicken, pork, glazed ham, mild cheddar, Gouda, toasted almonds, cashews, walnuts, brown butter, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and herb-roasted vegetables. Heavy smoke, hard chili heat, or funky cheese would overpower the blend. |
| Jazz Chef Angle | The logic is Buchanan’s softness + citrus/herbal brightness + gentle Scotch spice. Compared with Buchanan’s 12, Master reads a little more aromatic and structured; compared with the 18, it is less dark-fruited and more lemon-orange-herbal. |
A DISTILLER’S TALE
Old Forester Kentucky Straight Statesman Bourbon is Old Forester putting on a Kingsman spy suit, loading the cufflinks with rye spice, and pretending the warehouse has a secret-agent division. The bottle was created as a tie-in to Kingsman: The Golden Circle, where the American counterpart to Kingsman is called Statesman and hides behind a Kentucky bourbon operation; Old Forester made the real-world bottle at 95 proof / 47.5% ABV, blending hand-selected casks from the warmest parts of its warehouses to push heat, spice, and boldness. The company lore underneath is serious: Old Forester dates to 1870, when George Garvin Brown helped pioneer selling bourbon in sealed bottles, so this is not some movie-prop novelty wearing brown liquor cologne. In plain terms: Old Forester Statesman is heritage Kentucky bourbon in a spy-movie tuxedo — hot warehouse barrels, polished old-brand credibility, and just enough secret-agent nonsense to make the bottle look like it knows where the microfilm is hidden.
MY TAKE
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