Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is produced in honor of the company’s founder, George Garvin Brown, who was born September 2, 1846.
One hundred seventy-seven years later, bourbon nerds across America might at least consider offering their first born for a crack at owning a bottle of this coveted annual release. And while OFBB is a notoriously tricky bottle to secure for a reasonable price, you have a better shot this year.
Between now and September 1st, fans can enter the Old Forester 2023 Birthday Bourbon Sweepstakes, where winners jump the line to purchase a bottle for the $170 MSRP. To enter, click below, fill out a quick entry, and you are in the running. Winners are selected on September 2nd, and bottles will be available between September 8th and December 15.
What's In The Bottle?
The 2023 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon year is a vintage-dated batch of 103 barrels filled on May 5th, 2011, on the 5th floor of Old Forester Warehouse I. This 12-year-old bourbon is 96-proof (48% ABV).
Trifecta is bottled at a near barrel proof of 117.1, and this limited run of about 16,000 bottles is available in retail and on the company’s website for $180.
“Every year, Birthday Bourbon is a unique opportunity for lovers of Old Forester to taste a snapshot of bourbon that was laid down over a decade ago. This year’s 12-year-old offering serves up a classic Old Forester profile that honors George Garvin Brown’s ongoing legacy.”
—Old Forester Master Taster Melissa Rift
How Does It Taste?
Company Tasting Notes: Bright candied citrus and floral overtones give way to rich turbinado sugar and roasted coffee beans as slight cedar and charred oak round out the nose. The palate is subtle citrus with heavy notes of dark honey, molasses, and charred oak, concluding with a dry, toasty, oaked caramel finish with lingering bittersweet tannins.
Spirits writers, marketers and designers are among the most influential forces in the spirits industry. Their opinions, ideas and creative talents inform and influence consumer perceptions and buying decisions. The John Barleycorn Society was started by a group of spirits journalists seeking to honor excellence in all facets of the industry. The journalists spent several years creating a comprehensive competition that became the John Barleycorn Awards. An elite team of authoritative and influential spirits journalists was selected to administer the flagship component of the Awards, a blind tasting competition destined to become the preeminent arbitrator of spirits taste, quality and character.
