Old Forester has unveiled the newest release in its 117 series — Bottled in Bond.
In accordance with the 1897 Bottled in Bond Act, this product is bottled from barrels filled during a single distillation season: the wet and warm late spring of 2014.
Bottled-in-bond is a designation that protects the integrity of aged spirits by ensuring each barrel is produced in a single distillation season by a single distillery. To meet the criteria, the spirit must also be matured in a U.S. bonded warehouse for at least four years and bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof).
“The heritage of Old Forester is uniquely tied to the Bottled in Bond movement as George Garvin Brown’s first bottled bourbon really set the stage for quality guarantee decades before the historic law went into effect,” says Old Forester Master Taster Melissa Rift. “This bonded expression as part of the 117 Series is a fantastic opportunity to look at a very small batch of bonded liquid and how it has developed from that single season to the offering we are launching today.”
On the nose is confectionary notes of stewed blackberries, caramelized apricot and sweet dates rounded out by a sweet nuttiness and topped with whipped cream, the company reports. The palate brings caramelized fruits with a hint of spearmint, before a finish of dried fruits that gives way to heavy cream with herbal tea.
“This has a dynamic, rich flavor from that wet and warm spring season of 2014,” Rift adds. “With bottled in bond, a whiskey must age for a minimum of four years. But this was distilled in 2014, so it has got some more age on it.”
Old Forester 117 Series: Bottled in Bond comes bottled at 100 proof. It is available starting today at the retail shop at Old Forester Distilling Co., in some states for direct-to-consumer sales, and at select Kentucky stores. The suggested retail price is $59.99 per 375-ml. bottle.
Bottled in Bond is the latest installment in the 117 Series, a limited-expression lineup that debuted in Spring 2021 and focuses on innovation and experimentation.
