The 2006 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is the 3rd OFBB I’ve reviewed here in TWJ and it’s by far my favorite. I’ve yet to try the supposedly amazing 2013, but after trying the ’06, ’14 and 15 in a side-by-side, and the ’10 on a separate occasion, it’s now become a bucket list whiskey. However, until that day comes the 2006 will have to reign supreme as the best Old Forester Birthday Bourbon I’ve had.
I’d like to stress that last part again real quick. The part where I said that the 2006 is the best Old Forester Birthday Bourbon I’ve had. In the last couple months I’ve received some interesting messages from folks who wanted me to know that they’ve tried more of X style of whiskey and they disagreed with me or saying that I shouldn’t be talking about a certain whiskey until I’ve tried X in the range. Largely I’ve ignored them, because this is my site dammit, but I wanted to take 2 seconds to reiterate that last part to ensure nothing got lost in translation and make sure it was clear I wasn’t stating this is the best OFBB of them all.
2006 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon Info
Region: Kentucky, USA
Distiller: Brown-Forman
Mashbill: 72% Corn, 18% Rye & 10% malted barley
Cask: New charred oak
Age: 12 years
ABV: 48%
Price: $50
2006 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon Review
EYE
Caramel
NOSE
Dark fruit, caramel, vanilla, touch of spice, a bit of wood and red licorice. There’s a light bit of toasted biscuit to it that makes it feel homey and while it’s a fairly basic bourbon nose, it’s rich and full which gives it a nice presence.
PALATE
Wood, caramel, vanilla, spice, dark fruit and mint mix nicely across the palate giving this bourbon a nice dimension and a full rich flavor. It’s really quite nice.
FINISH
Long and layered with dark fruit, wood and vanilla.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Nicely balanced, medium body and a soft, almost oily, feel.
OVERALL
2006 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is a nice, well mannered and pleasant bourbon. It’s not the most robust or complex bourbon on the block, but it’s a solid straightforward bourbon that doesn’t mess around. Tasting it next to the 2015 and 2014 releases displayed some noticeable differences with the biggest difference lying in the area of balance.
The 2014 Birthday Bourbon is a bit heavy on the sweetness and that knocks it a bit off balance. The 2015 Birthday Bourbon is heavy on the wood notes and that adversely affects the balance there. By comparison the 2006 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon has a great harmony between the sweet and rustic flavors and aromas which makes for an all around pleasant experience. If you get a chance to try the 2006 I highly recommend it, but I’m sure you didn’t need me to tell you that if you’re already a curious whiskey drinker like myself.
SCORE: 88/100
