Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky Review

As the story goes, back in 1910 a fire damaged the bottling line at the Old Forester facility. There was a vat of mature bourbon ready to be bottled and instead of letting it sit in the vat during repairs it went into newly charred barrels where it sat until the line was repaired. Once it was, the whiskey was deemed to have changed enough that it got a new name. This Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky is a tribute to that long-gone expression.

To further mimic the circumstances of the 1910 incident they mixed together vats of whisky, brought it down to 100 proof and then put it into the new, heavily charred, barrels for its second round of maturation. This would indicate that double barrel maturation isn't anything new, but more a piece of a rediscovered past. Now, let's get into this bourbon review.

Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky Review: Details and Tasting Notes

1910 Old Fine Whisky, Old Forester's fourth and final expression in the Whiskey Row Series, is a double barreled Bourbon creating a smooth mingling of sweet oatmeal raisin cookie and milk chocolate, caramel corn, and evolving spice that lead into a refined, charred oak finish.

Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky Review: Details (price, mash bill, cask type, ABV, etc.)

Region: Kentucky, USA

Price: $55*

Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky Review: Tasting Notes

NOSE
Oak, buttery dark sweets (brown sugar, caramel, etc.), spice, dried dark fruit, apple crumble, red licorice and light herbal touch.

PALATE
Tannic oak, spice, cloying dark fruit (cherry cough syrup), roasted corn and a bit herbal.

FINISH
Medium -> Cloying dark fruit sweetness, oak, vanilla and burnt chestnuts.

BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Not fully balanced, medium body and a warm slick feel that turns tannic.

Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky Review: Overall and Score

Not terrible, but not great either. Aroma is dark, rich and sweet with oaky layers keeping the sweetness in check and is my favorite part of the whiskey. Palate is tannic, cloying and medicinally sweet; not a fan. The finish is a perpetuation of the palate and ends in this burnt nutty character that reminds me of burnt chestnuts when I was a kid.

I hate to say it, but the Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky is my least favorite Old Forester I've ever had. I know that some people love this one, but there some slightly off and conflicting. That aroma though, that's the saving grace.

SCORE: 82/100 (B-)

*Disclosure: This Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky was graciously sent to me by the company for the purposes of this review. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.