By Kevin Gibson

Old Forester today released a bottle of Speyside-influenced whiskey in tribute to founder George Garvin Brown and his Scotch heritage.

The official release of the bourbon, which is part of the ongoing 117 Series, happened in the distillery’s downtown Louisville tourist center, complete with a drummer and bagpiper who regaled those waiting in line outside to get a shot at purchasing a bottle of the new whiskey.

Old Forester Master Taster Melissa Rift said the base bourbon was four- to six-year-old Old Forester barrels proofed to 100, which then went into various Scotch barrels for just under two more years. The barrels ranged from straight Scotch to Scotch whiskys that had been finished in oloroso sherry, muscatel and other barrels.

The finished product was then proofed down to 93, and revealed not peaty or smoky notes, but more like campfire with strong notes of fruit, chocolate and shortcake.

“It’s a great holiday-esque flavor,” Rift said. “Dried apricot is the first thing that jumped out to me when I first tasted it.”

Rift said in researching the market, she found only a handful of bourbons that had been finished in Scotch barrels, which is part of why the expression fit so well into the 117 Series, which focuses on small-batch releases of experimental whiskeys. The series launched in 2021.

“We like to be the first,” Rift said. “It’s a big part of our history. It’s been a fun one for our team to get into.”

Brown got together with his half-brother John Thompson Street Brown Jr. in 1870 to open the whiskey company that would become Brown-Forman, which introduced Old Forester to the market. He famously became the first whiskey maker to package and seal his product in glass bottles at the factory. Each year, Old Forester commemorates Brown’s birthday with its highly coveted Birthday Bourbon release.

Bottles of the new 117 Series release are limited and are for sale at Old Forester’s distillery attraction located at 117 W. Main St. in downtown Louisville. Price is $59.99 for a 350ml bottle with a limit of two per customer.

For more information, visit https://www.oldforester.com/.

(Photos by Kevin Gibson)