BOTM, 7/05: Old Forester

[TNbourbon]

My original impression in July of near-current bottle:

...The color is new-copper-plating orangish, as on a current-year penny. The nose has hints of lemon/citrus, with underlying brown sugar/maple, and holds suggestion of a light-bodied pour. On the palate, the weight is indeed light, and the flavors complement the nose about as well as any bourbon I've ever tasted -- the citrus is prominent, with almost no 'dark' flavors (tobacco, leather, acidic oak). There is a medium finish with mild heat, leaving a remarkably fresh aftertaste.

Not a lot of complexity here, but no real unpleasantness either. This is a fresh, enjoyable drink, seemingly tuned to summertime sipping...

I'm revisiting this because I found an older (1994), dimpled liter BIB today for under $20, so picked it up. Wow! Not the same bourbon (literally, in fact -- this one was distilled at Shively's DSP-354 Early Times plant, not the Old Forester DSP-414 distillery in Louisville proper).

This one is full tawny, with just hints of orange (older than 4 years, maybe?); no lightness about it -- not in nose, taste or finish; there is certainly leather, tobacco and oak here; and it provides a fair amount of alcohol heat before demurring at the very end.

This store also had several 1998 bottles of the old-label (but not dimpled) 86 proof (packaged with an NFL highlights video). I might lay them in if they approach this one in style.

[Rughi]

Of bonds that I have, the first one from DSP 354 is a post-tax stamp 375ml that has "88" stamped into the glass. My copy of Jim Murray's Complete Book of Whiskey (1997) states that Old Forester, Louisville (DSP 414) distillation was moved to Early Times, Shively (DSP 354) in 1979. I have no reason to believe (or disbelieve, other than the liquor itself) that the Louisville still ever operated again after that, although since Forester stopped declaring the DSP on newer bib's, who's to know?

In comparison to the 1970s bonds, the '88 and the '95 bonds are noticeably lighter, hotter, have some less caramel in both aroma and flavor (the '95 less than the '88), and have a noticeable alcohol whiff that is absent from the heavier, much more complex and caramelly-sweet '78.

So, based on my samples, I think that Forester became progressively lighter in Shively. Murray refers to a "virtual triple distillation..beer still to thumper to doubler" added "recently" (published 1997). It's not clear if the '95 bottle would be just before the advent of the "triple distillation," or if this was one more step in lightening the flavor.

Roger