Old Forester Signature circa 2012 vs. new Old Forester 100 proof

[PaulO]

Smokinjoe and others suggested I give the new (white paper label) Old Forester 100 a try.

I thought it would be interesting to see how it stacks up against a bottle of the good stuff from the bunker.  I'm talking about the OF Signature with all the gold cursive writing on the label (maybe 2012 or earlier).

  Old OF Signature has a nose like pecan pie, and some nail polish that quickly diminishes.

The palate has fruit like canned peaches or apricots.  I also get some cherry cola and a little cinnamon in the finish.

  The new Old Forester 100 has not much nose.  It is a very easy drinking whiskey for 100 proof.  The main tastes I get are some spice cake type of spices in the palate and finish.

  The verdict - I can get some of the same house style, but there are noticeable differences between these two.  The new OF 100 is a big improvement over some of the OF Signature from a year or so ago.  I would be a repeat customer for this.  Dusty OF Signature can be hard to beat, if you like that house style.  

[Ruffin51]

I like the Signature with the black diamond logo. Can only find small bottles for some reason, but it is surprisingly tasty stuff! Thanks for the comparison - guess I'll keep seeking out these little old gems.

[Dabbings]

I have an older (not too old) diamond label that is 100 proof but does not say signature on it,

I prefer the "orange" label one that does say signature (label previous to the current)

[smokinjoe]

Nice review, Paul.  I have been on a bit of a Brown-Forman kick these last several months.  All of their iterations, including JD are singing to me of late, so I was somewhat self-doubting in my admiration for the new 100 proof.  I'm glad to hear you see it as an improvement over the immediate preceding label, though you may not have enjoyed as much as I did.  Let's hope they're back on the right track, and we see continued improvement in future releases.

[fishnbowljoe]

Thanks for the review Paulo. Even though I've curtailed my buying, I have been on the lookout for the new bottle Old Forester 100 and  the Early Times BIB. Sadly, I have yet to see either in my neck of the woods. 

 

Biba! Joe

[PaulO]

I visited OF 100 again tonight.  It's well balanced, no rough edges.  Compared to what else I can buy easily nowadays; I like it quite a bit.  I know up against cherry picked bottle out of the bunker is hard to beat.