You’ll need a prescription for a shot of Old Forester 86.
The Old Forester brand was founded in 1870 by one George Garvin Brown, who named his distillery after Dr. William Forrester. The two men were actually close friends and neighbors, with Dr. Forrester regularly buying whiskey from George Garvin Brown. In the mid-1800s, whiskey was pretty much the only anesthetic around and was prescribed for just about everything. Together, Forrester and Brown went to work trying to create a high-quality whiskey that could be prescribed to Forrester’s patients. Brown blended the whiskey himself and decided to sell it in clear glass bottles for transparency sake. And just like that, the first bottled bourbon was born.
Even though Dr. Forrester’s bourbon lost an “r” and became Old Forester, the medicinal reputation proved useful. Doctors frequently endorsed Old Forester and the whiskey became known as “The Doctors Choice.” During Prohibition, Old Forester remained open in order to produce this medicinal elixir, making it the only distillery to be continuously distilled by the same family before, during, and after Prohibition.
Today, however, the Old Forester brand is owned and operated by alcohol powerhouse Brown-Forman, who also own Woodford Reserve and Coopers’ Craft. In 2015, Brown-Forman created the Old Forester Whiskey Row Series, which includes Old Forester 1870 Original Batch, Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond, Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whiskey, and Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style. This series joins the rest of the signature Old Forester collection like Old Forester 100 Proof and Old Forester Rye. Yet, Old Forester 86 remains the flagship bourbon of the brand.
But history aside, should Old Forester 86 really be the face of the brand? Not if you want to make a good impression. As the name suggests Old Forester 86 is only 86 proof, which is really not doing this bourbon any favors. The bourbon starts out sharp and hot that’s calmed only by a thin, watery viscosity. Somewhere in the wateriness, small pinches of cinnamon, oak, and pepper are struggling to come through, but they’re barely present. Without a resounding, deeply developed flavor, you’re really just left with the taste of alcohol.
With the combination of its history and flavor, it all becomes quite clear – Old Forester 86 is the medicinal bourbon with a medicinal taste.
STATS: Old Forester 86 Bourbon
- Price for us: $24 for 750 mL
- Proof: 86
- Aged: NAS
- Distillery: Old Forester, owned by Brown-Forman
- Recommendation: Mixer
