Like a child celebrating its own birthday, Old Forester Birthday’s proof and age jump around a lot. The 2019 release was 11 years old with a proof of 105 (it remains one of my favorites, plus, I got to taste its brutish dump strength of 150 proof), while 2020’s age dropped to 10 years and 98 proof.
The nose on this goes for days … bitter chocolate, clover honey, oak, mincemeat pie, lavender, dried roses, chamomile, leather jacket and cooked apples. It’s warm from front to back to down the hatch, but it drinks nowhere near its 133 proof.
The nose leads with grape candy, Concord jelly, purple iris bloom, confectioner’s sugar, blooming roses and toasted raisin bread. Ever had a whiskey you could nose and nose and nose? This is one of those.
The 12-year is a whiskey of tremendous complexity, character and texture, and the 10-year (review forthcoming) is barely less arresting. This Jack is mannerly, wizened, confident and worthy of standing alongside any American whiskey on a back bar.
The nose and fish oil tablet flavor remind me distinctly of the malt whiskey made years ago by Jack’s Brown-Forman kin, Woodford Reserve. I didn’t come ’round to it then and haven’t this time either.
The rye spice launches like a honey-lemon toddy upfront before exploding like fireworks on the back palate. In it’s wake is a trail of spice, demerara syrup and honey all the way down the throat.
Immaculata (named after the Bible story about the immaculate conception of the Christ child within Mary, a virgin) is a big, bold whiskey that coats the whole palate with cocoa, hints of maple syrup and pleasant grain character.
If you can find this bottle for a reasonable price, get it. If you’re motivated spend unreasonably on stuff like this, you’re bound to find one. You’ll want to pour this bottle for friends who deserve a little spoiling. And this one will spoil any Maker’s fan for good.
This bourbon is a biggin’, a powerful and complex pour created from a commingling of 12-, 14-, 16- and 25-year-old barrels. Though the final proof is 108, it drinks higher than that.
Fueled in part by social media hype and spirits competition medals, Blue Run expanded its market reach to 31 states as of this year—no mean feat for a small company. Few migratory monarchs ever cover as much ground as do butterfly-branded bottles.
