Only 150 bottles remain of the 12 ½ year old Kentucky Bourbon which were originally intended for the company’s special events and tastings.
This bourbon was informally announced at a private event hosted by Brown-Forman during the 2023 Kentucky Derby week festivities. Bourbon Lens was fortunate enough to be invited by Brown-Forman and we could not thank them enough for the opportunity to taste this incredible bourbon. The 150th Decanter Bourbon itself has an incredible story about how it came to be and was originally intended to be shared with the world. However, a global pandemic stopped all of those plans in 2020 (the brand’s actual 150th Anniversary). And now, over 3 years later, Brown-Forman and Old Forester have officially announced the release of this very special 12 ½ year old Kentucky Bourbon. Most interestingly, this is the first commercial release which is bottled under the Brown-Forman name.
Bourbon Lens Tasting Notes:
This bourbon is bottled at a healthy 100 proof, with layers of flavor that are rich and surprisingly fruity. It has aromas of fragrant humidor tobacco and old leather. This is everything I want in a Kentucky Bourbon; spicy yet sweet with a nice touch of old oak. It boasts notes of baked raisins, oak tannins, and cigar tobacco. If you ever get the opportunity to taste this bourbon, sit back and let this one take you for a nice ride.
Full Details on the Release: Brown-Foreman 150th Decanter
Old Forester is releasing the rarest bottle it has ever produced – a decanter to honor the brand’s 150th anniversary filled with extraordinarily exquisite 12 ½ -year-old bourbon.
Five hundred (500) bottles were originally crafted for members of the Brown family, who own Brown-Forman, and key partners of the company. One hundred and fifty (150) were set aside for special tastings and events at the company.
But the global pandemic in 2020 shuttered those plans – and those 150 bottles remained in storage. Now, Old Forester is offering them to the public.
The decanter, priced at $2,500, goes on sale today only at oldforester.com – no bottles will be sold at the distillery itself. People who purchase the bottle can only pick them up on December 5, the anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition as part of an after-hours event. The bottle purchase includes a private VIP tour of the Old Forester distillery, along with cocktails and appetizers with members of the Brown family.
On April 18, 2008, Master Distiller Chris Morris hand-selected six barrels for this special decanter. It was bottled 150 months later (12.5 years), in 2020. These barrels were matured in Warehouse J, top floor 8, Rick 44, tier 1.
Old Forester is the only bourbon to exist before, during, and after Prohibition – and what better way to celebrate that legacy than offering to the public this rare decanter.
Old Forester Master Taster Meliss Rift
The decanter is presented in a custom wooden handmade box – the wood was recovered from the fire at Old Forester on Whiskey Row in 2015. The fire nearly destroyed the Whiskey Row block.
The 150th decanter is a nod to the Old Forester historic holiday decanters in the 1950s and 1960s designed by Raymond Loewy, the celebrated father of industrial design.
A special year-long exhibit, which opens this month at the Frazier Museum, tells the story of those mid-century decanters. The Frazier, at 9th and Main, in downtown Louisville, is considered the start of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
About Brown-Forman
For more than 150 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine-quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s Ready-to-Drinks, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Coopers’ Craft, The GlenDronach, Benriach, Glenglassaugh, Slane, Herradura, el Jimador, New Mix, Korbel, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, Fords Gin, Gin Mare, and Diplomático Rum. Brown-Forman’s brands are supported by approximately 5,600 employees globally and sold in more than 170 countries worldwide. For more information about the company, please visit brown-forman.com.
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