Sluggo Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I was offered one at $89.99. I passed. Owner said that his cost from the distributor was more than last year's retail price.Was this up in Noblesville by chance? I heard the same story but bought a bottle anyway. First time I had an opportunity to buy one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mosugoji64 Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Went into one of the local shops yesterday. One of the guys noticed me checking out their display case and said, "We have 1 bottle of Old Forester Birthday left if you're interested. I'd love to get rid of it. Tired of all the people calling about it." I thought about it for a while and Mrs. Mosugoji (ever the enabler) said, "If you're thinking about it then you want it, so go ahead and get it!" Who am I to question her wisdom? Haven't opened it yet since I still have some of last years left but I'm looking forward to giving it a whirl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amg Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Was this up in Noblesville by chance? I heard the same story but bought a bottle anyway. First time I had an opportunity to buy one.It wasn't Noblesville, but it was Hamilton County. Must be the Hamilton County tax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Bond Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I was offered one at $89.99. I passed. Owner said that his cost from the distributor was more than last year's retail price.For what it's worth, Binny's (local IL liquor chain) had OF Birthday for about the same, and their stuff is always priced around MSRP, so I would imagine the owner was telling the truth. I find it really hard to get excited about a 97 proof whiskey for $90. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnybogey Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 For what it's worth, Binny's (local IL liquor chain) had OF Birthday for about the same, and their stuff is always priced around MSRP, so I would imagine the owner was telling the truth. I find it really hard to get excited about a 97 proof whiskey for $90.The '15 OFBB is 100 proof. Not sure how much 3 proof difference would sway your decision though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Bond Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 The '15 OFBB is 100 proof. Not sure how much 3 proof difference would sway your decision though.Good point! But you're right, 100 proof is still not QUITE there, for my budget. Will probably give it a shot at a bar some time soon, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidfive Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 Walked into a local shop today that normally gouges the prices, just to make him feel like an idiot. I originally walked in a few months ago after the new owner took over. I walk in and see the Pappy face staring at me. As i get closer, i see the price of $1999 for the 20yr and $999 for the 15yr. I then see two Weller 12s for $32.99. Having recently run out of Weller 12, I decided to take them off his hands before he realized that it is "limited" release or "basically ""Pappy"" 12". Weeks later he has another bottle back in store for $89.99. HA!Fast forward to yesterday, I am nearby in the shopping center and check out the store. The Pappys and Weller 12 are still sitting. I make sure to mention my prior purchases of Weller 12 @ $32.99. I then notice he has some OF Birthday Bourbon 15's on the shelf. Hoping he was out of tune with the "popularity" of these limited releases, I was hoping I could sneak in a purchase before he realized. He then tells me the OF Birthday was priced at $300. I quickly leave making sure I mention the prices of some of my past purchases.Today I had a day off and a friend and I went out for a drive. Stopped into another liquor store who had the 15' OF Birthday at $79.99. Now this store was also a price gouger, so I made sure to clear him out before he too changed his price to the hundreds. After my purchase at this store, I made sure to mention "other stores are selling this for $300" as I walked out with my hands full. I then stopped by the original store and started some causal conversation where I mentioned my recent purchases of OF Birthday @ $80. I also tried to explain, knowing it is not completely true, that the only people that are paying the ridiculous prices are the ones that think they can resell it for more, and that when the bourbon bubble pops, the true customers will be gone.Sometimes, I get more joy out of screwing with these store owners then actually drinking bourbon, but I say, the bourbon tastes just a little better when you get one on a gouger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 .... the bourbon tastes just a little better when you get one on a gouger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul W Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 So last night as I am driving home I think to myself "I should stop at that liquor store to see if they have OFBB" But then I think "nah, I'll do that tomorrow, right now I just want to go home."So today I go in there and am told they had 5 bottles of OFBB yesterday but that night (after I would have been there if I stopped) someone came in and bought all 5. At retail.Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s8ist Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Just got to try some of the 2015 and can honestly PASS on this one. Just too much wood compared to previous releases. Have a 2013 bunkered and there it will stay until a suitable replacement comes along. 2016? Hopefully! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Just got to try some of the 2015 and can honestly PASS on this one. Just too much wood compared to previous releases. Have a 2013 bunkered and there it will stay until a suitable replacement comes along. 2016? Hopefully!If you come across one, let me know. I like it a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffrey r Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 I finished my third and last 2013 OFBB last evening, and I was just ready to be done with it by the end. It was a good year, and worth the $50 per bottle I paid, but not worth more than that to me. And the bottles did not improve with airtime, but I'd say the opposite. And since I don't plan on seeing another one at retail, or paying the current price, I suspect this will be my last OFBB for quite a while, which I am fine with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Finally opened my bottle of '15 OFBB. Without a lengthy discourse (especially, since I didn't get far into any detailed analysis or comparison), I find it within expectations for OFBB. Certainly enough like previous editions to be recognized. I do NOT find it excessively woody. Woody? Yes. Excessively? No.I did find an unexpectedly prominent aromatic in the nose, and to a rather lesser extent on the palate. Shellac? Acetone? Lacquer? Hard to identify. None of those; but similar.Both sweet and salty caramel, a good bit of butterscotch, a bit of vanilla, a smattering of baking spices. I think, on first taste, without any 'air time', which I find often has a tendency to improve older stuff, it's pretty darned good. Certainly interesting. Now, Is it worth $80? Not quite. Maybe $50. As an addition to a running collection of their annual releases, I'm not sorry I bought it. Will I buy another (assuming I could even find one)? Probably not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gusto16 Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Will I buy another (assuming I could even find one)? Probably not.Do you mean this year or next year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted November 18, 2015 Share Posted November 18, 2015 Do you mean this year or next year?At this point... Probably both. I may feel differently after some air time and some revisiting of the pour with some comparison for nose and palate. Maybe the '12 OFBB, which I found among the better ones of the last few.I know, many found that one too woody, too. I guess I can tolerate a fair amount of oak if there's some balance and interest elsewhere in the dram. The part that may be the deciding factor is the cost. I don't think that this one worth the cheddar, and if it goes up at all next year, I may be out of the market on principle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amg Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 I did find an unexpectedly prominent aromatic in the nose, and to a rather lesser extent on the palate. Shellac? Acetone? Lacquer? Hard to identify. None of those; but similar.I got this note from the 2014, and while it didn't bother me, I can see how some might find it off-putting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 I got this note from the 2014, and while it didn't bother me, I can see how some might find it off-putting.I'm not yet certain whether this 'bothered' me, or entertained me. Either way, it has yet to be assigned the "off-putting" designation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 I'm liking my '15 quite a bit. It definitely has more wood to it than past years as Rich noted and while I usually don't like that it works here in combination with the other flavors. I'm happy that I found more than one. It's important to mention that I found mine for $49.95. I would not have been as jazzed at $80.I also sometimes get that shellac/acetone note. It seems to be a part of of every BB I've had since '13. I find that letting the glass sit for a bit tends to eliminate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fussychicken Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 Cracked mine last night as well. Good balance of sweet and spice. Still has that tannic OF bite as well. I just wish it was a little more oily! It feels a touch thin despite the bitter tannic feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourbonfish Posted November 20, 2015 Share Posted November 20, 2015 Opened by '15 last night. Love it. Not too hot, obviously - and has nice notes to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonutsNBourbon Posted November 22, 2015 Share Posted November 22, 2015 finally opened up the 15 last night and had it with a few friends. Aroma was great and overall, we loved this. we had a ton of other drinks last night too, so I can't recall specific notes or anything about it. will have to try it again on a more sober night to sort out the flavors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louisiana Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 Now I understand the OFBB space issue. It literally will not fit anywhere and takes up a pile of room.I do like the uniqueness of the bottle though. Hope the 15 taste as good as it looks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccleve23 Posted November 27, 2015 Share Posted November 27, 2015 Now I understand the OFBB space issue. It literally will not fit anywhere and takes up a pile of room.I do like the uniqueness of the bottle though. Hope the 15 taste as good as it looks!I have a 2011 and 2014. I will not buy anymore since there is not enough room for another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gusto16 Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 Coming soon within the next few months...Ooooo, a red label [emoji39] From Whisky Advocate - 2016 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon OFBBday2016 Release: September 2016 Price: $80 Proof: 97 Availability: 14,400 bottles Style: Bourbon Need to know: This release marks 15 years for Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, created to pay homage to founder George Garvin Brown’s birthday on September 2. This year’s release comes from 93 barrels distilled on June 4, 2004 and matured together on the 5th floor of the warehouse. Whisky Advocate says: Previous releases have also typically had around 12 years of age, with Whisky Advocate editor and publisher John Hansell observing, “Many of the Birthday Bourbon releases are wood driven…” However, they also appear exceptionally well chosen and deserving of their cult status, with many scoring 90 points and above in Whisky Advocate Buying Guide. This is the largest release ever in terms of volume, so 2016 may be your chance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garbanzobean Posted August 13, 2016 Share Posted August 13, 2016 I've been passing on this--more accurately, passing it onto friends who want it--since 2013. Still have one bottle of the 2013 left. All of bourbon consuming friends have moved away in the past year, so I won't be able to take my usual finders fee of a pour whenever they open it up. I'll consider buying this one depending on price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts