Old Forester 1924 Bourbon Review: A Decade of Depth and Flavor

Steve Coomes -

BOTTLE DETAILS

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Any bourbon fan, especially fans of Old Forester. To my palate, this bourbon and the King of Kentucky Bourbon are the finest produced at Brown-Forman Distillery (formerly Early Times Distillery and always DSP 354). And, when sharing, have a bottle of Old Forester Signature (orange trimmed label, 100 proof) for a fun comparison. It costs $23, it's half the age of the 1924 and its mash bill is different (72% Corn, 18% Rye and 10% malted barley), but it'll make a fun comparison.

WORTH THE PRICE: Yes it is. Though not inexpensive, great whiskey is great whiskey, and great whiskey will cost you. Regardless of the price, this whiskey will reward you handsomely. Last year's release was outstanding, and this year's release continues that young tradition.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bottle, especially given that good bars will charge for $30 at least for pours.

OVERALL: Dried flowers, cherries and strawberries lead the way out of the glass followed by roasted marcona almonds, toasted wheat bread, lemon peel, Snickers bar and ground rye grain. All of that rests on a base of and freshly emptied whiskey barrels.

On the palate, spices not apparent on the nose–clove, black pepper, cinnamon–emerge alongside roasted peanuts and dark, tannin-free oak notes. For a whiskey of this age to taste more "juicy" than drying is amazing. The finish is warm, super-long and leaves behind notes of cured tobacco, bitter chocolate and grilled pineapple.

If you tasted this alongside the Old Forester Signature, the whiffs of banana and acetone found on the younger version aren't found in the older one. Two slightly different mash bills may be the culprit, and the doubled age of the 1924 surely is another differentiator. Whatever the case, this superb whiskey is an arguably perfect example of masterful Kentucky bourbon maturation. If someone can find flaws in this, that person's either a freak of nature who's going to teach us all something we didn't know or he's nuts and making things up.

I don't know of a 10-year-old bourbon that compares to this–and we all know there are a lot of good ones out there. This will easily be one of my favorites of 2025.

BRAND NOTES

“With a new mash bill and 10-year age statement, 1924 features a unique taste unlike any other Old Forester expression, but fits perfectly within our storytelling Whiskey Row series,” said master taster, Melissa Rift. “After such a quick sell-out last year, this re-release gives more whiskey drinkers the chance to taste and love this dynamic expression.”

COLOR: Dark graham cracker.

AROMA: Soft notes of fudge, cocoa, marzipan, and cured tobacco layered over
hints of rich oak and warm cinnamon.

FLAVOR: Chocolate-covered graham cracker dusted with cinnamon.

FINISH: Hints of spice and graham cracker crumbles.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.