Malt Advocate Slams Old Forester Repeal

[Buffalo Bill]

RATING = 79

John Hansell: "This bourbon is a nice change of pace and I understand the reason behind this WHISKY to emulate bourbons from the era of Repeal, but I prefer the Old Forester Signature 100 proof to this WHISKEY. I'm happy drinking WHISKEYS of today, thank you."

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So, is it WHISKY OR WHISKEY?!?

BB

PS. I'll say a prayer and forward this to the New York Times.

[Josh]

RATING = 79

John Hansell: "This bourbon is a nice change of pace and I understand the reason behind this WHISKY to emulate bourbons from the era of Repeal, but I prefer the Old Forester Signature 100 proof to this WHISKEY. I'm happy drinking WHISKEYS of today, thank you."

-------

So, is it WHISKY OR WHISKEY?!?

BB

PS. I'll say a prayer and forward this to the New York Times.

Re: the spelling :slappin:

My biggest beef with OFR is that it is much too expensive for what it is: a half a bottle with a bunch of cheesy packaging and a glass. As St. Jerome once said, "Woopty friggin' doo". I'd not only pick OFSig over that stuff but I'd pick the 86 proof in a plastic bottle over it. I've only seen it in a store once, and it was $45. I've heard that it was usually closer to $25, but why should I pay that for it when I can get a full bottle of Sig or close to 2 bottles of the regular OF for that price. I already have glassware, thanks.

I can deal with the marketing chananagins and questionable historical claims some companies make, but I get pissed off when I feel like someone is trying to screw me out of my (mostly my wife's) hard-earned money. I really love OF, but this Repeal thing gets me steamed.:hot:

Sorry, stressful week.

[Buffalo Bill]

I can concur with the price & packaging scenario. Pricey, and it would be nicer at $12-15 per 375ml without the glass. Inasmuch as it is taking a hit I gravitated to its complexity and flavors, albeit the acetone. And the first bottle I had - had great texture... I'll be first to admit that it's not for everyone. Signature is definitely more definitive in terms of structure, fundamentally - but I like what Chris Morris came up with altogether. It was well-planned and executed. BB

[ILLfarmboy]

I can concur with the price & packaging scenario. Pricey, and it would be nicer at $12-15 per 375ml ...

Saw it down in Peoria for 14.89 or 14.99. Still didn't pull the trigger.

[Buffalo Bill]

Saw it down in Peoria for 14.89 or 14.99. Still didn't pull the trigger.

Wow. $25 out here in MA & NH.

BB

[wadewood]

At Costco liquor stores (which are new for us in Texas, actually attached outside to store and not owned by Costco), these are $19.99. I tried at Randy's during our Houston SB get together and really enjoyed it. I picked up a 2nd one this week.

[Buffalo Bill]

At Costco liquor stores (which are new for us in Texas, actually attached outside to store and not owned by Costco), these are $19.99. I tried at Randy's during our Houston SB get together and really enjoyed it. I picked up a 2nd one this week.

It's definitely more an acquired taste because it's fiery bourbon. I've recently had the Beam Distiller's 7 Year which could have posed as their Repeal Bourbon, similar characteristics. I happen to love the stuff... it's a break away from the super-refined juice with serious bravado. Too expensive out here though... BB

[cowdery]

I noticed the Beam Distiller's 7 Year at Binny's the other day, right next to and at the exact same price as Jim Beam Black Label. I think it was $23.99.

[Buffalo Bill]

I noticed the Beam Distiller's 7 Year at Binny's the other day, right next to and at the exact same price as Jim Beam Black Label. I think it was $23.99.

Chuck, it has turned into being one of my favorite pours and at a reasonable price-point. But I can't get it out here... I'm going to speak with Ryan at Julio's to see what he can do.

BB

[sotnsipper]

It's definitely more an acquired taste because it's fiery bourbon.

Definitely a fiery bourbon. It is a little rougher around the edges than the Sig. Still a good bourbon. I put a little water in it and it was even better.

Re: the spelling :slappin:

My biggest beef with OFR is that it is much too expensive for what it is: a half a bottle with a bunch of cheesy packaging and a glass. As St. Jerome once said, "Woopty friggin' doo". I'd not only pick OFSig over that stuff but I'd pick the 86 proof in a plastic bottle over it. I've only seen it in a store once, and it was $45. I've heard that it was usually closer to $25, but why should I pay that for it when I can get a full bottle of Sig or close to 2 bottles of the regular OF for that price. I already have glassware, thanks.

Sorry, stressful week.

It was more of a commemorative bottling than anything. I don't know of anyone that rushed out to the store just to buy this just for the small bottle of booze. I did buy one to try and one for keeping. They were only $25 a piece. I have heard they were as low as $15 but not anywhere around here. OFSig is most definitely a better bourbon for the price, but it is not a collectible. Sorry bout the stressful week. A good glass of bourbon should take care of that .

[sotnsipper]

RATING = 79

So, is it WHISKY OR WHISKEY?!?

As per the box is is Whisky, no E.

[Josh]

It was more of a commemorative bottling than anything. I don't know of anyone that rushed out to the store just to buy this just for the small bottle of booze. I did buy one to try and one for keeping. They were only $25 a piece. I have heard they were as low as $15 but not anywhere around here. OFSig is most definitely a better bourbon for the price, but it is not a collectible. Sorry bout the stressful week. A good glass of bourbon should take care of that .

Not a bad idea. A good glass (or two or three) this evening would definately hit the spot! :drinking:

[Rughi]

This is my favorite BF bourbon that I've had in the 2000s. I have the BBs from 2003-2006, so perhaps I've missed on the best bottlings of these, though.

I applaud BF offering the specialty product whisky in a small bottle at a lower price. Specialty offerings aren't about a good buy on handles, they're about getting a taste of a non standard product. And sometimes the specialty stuff was an experiment gone awry and you don't really want a bigger bottle that you paid top dollar for.

Roger

[JohnHansell]

Hi guys. Just came across this thread. Good discussion! I suppose my flip-flopping when writing the review (and probably the same for my copy editor) is that Old Forester doesn't use the "e", so I suppose I remembered sometimes to spell it the Old Forester way, and then reverted back to the more traditional spelling other times.

While this whisky (their way) wasn't my favorite, I sure am happy that Brown-Forman is sharing there experiments with us (and even happier that Chris Morris is behind all of it.)

[craigthom]

At Party Mart (Louisville) this week I saw that they had dropped the price for the OF Repeal to $19.99. They still have a lot. Maybe if it drops to $15 I will pick one up.

I did pick up a Berheim for $30, which is the lowest I have seen.

I noticed that the Beam Black, Beam White 7yo, and this new Distiller's thing were all $19.99. The Distiller's bottles had all been signed by Fred Noe. I almost bought one, but I'm trying to cut down.

[kickert]

Hi guys. Just came across this thread. Good discussion! I suppose my flip-flopping when writing the review (and probably the same for my copy editor) is that Old Forester doesn't use the "e", so I suppose I remembered sometimes to spell it the Old Forester way, and then reverted back to the more traditional spelling other times.

While this whisky (their way) wasn't my favorite, I sure am happy that Brown-Forman is sharing there experiments with us (and even happier that Chris Morris is behind all of it.)

Hey John, good to have you contribute here. I often read your blog and your reviews.

[kickert]

for this bourbon I am much more interested in the glass than in the whiskey. I gave had standard OF and OF Sig and both were dismal in my impression. They had neither the sweet smoothness that I like, or the spicy character on the other side of the spectrum that is appealing.

If anyone has an extra glass from this packaging they would be willing to part with, shoot me a PM.

[Josh]

This is my favorite BF bourbon that I've had in the 2000s. I have the BBs from 2003-2006, so perhaps I've missed on the best bottlings of these, though.

I applaud BF offering the specialty product whisky in a small bottle at a lower price. Specialty offerings aren't about a good buy on handles, they're about getting a taste of a non standard product. And sometimes the specialty stuff was an experiment gone awry and you don't really want a bigger bottle that you paid top dollar for.

Roger

I can appriciate that Roger, I really can. I am glad that distilleries are experiementing and letting the public in on those experiments. It was definately a cool idea to release a whiskey that resembles the stuff that was around in the 20's & 30's. I'm not faulting anyone for that.

There are a lot of people for whom money appears to be no object when it comes to bourbon. That's fine for them. But for me, I have mortgage payments, school fees, charities I give to, transportation costs, the list goes on and on. At the standard price of $25, the OFR comes out to $50 for 750 ml, more than OFBB, WTRB, EC18, WTKS, etc. At the price I saw in Indianapolis, it comes out to $90, higher than any BTAC and most high-end VW's .

I just cannot justify to myself (or my wife) spending that much on any bottle of whiskey when there are perfectly good alternatives. Furthermore, I feel like there is an expectation that becase I love OF and I am a bourbon-lover, I should be dazzled by the packaging and the glassware and jump at the chance to blow what amounts to a whole day's pay, or one textbook for what amounts to a curiosity. Well I wasn't.

Maybe I'm too suspicious and it really did cost them that much to produce and they felt like they needed to give the consumer a little more, hence the packaging and glassware. But the whole thing felt like the whiskey equivalent of Valentine's Day, a manufactured event based losely on an actual event intended to suck money out of ppl's pockets. That said, I did by my wife a present.