Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2007. . . .

Joined Sep 2003
9K Posts | 0+
Puerto Rico/NYC
This is the second year in a row that I decided to try this line, and after trying this one, I have decided to go back a bit in time when funds permit, and try at least one or two of past releases.

Like last year's version, this is also 13 1/2 years old, but the difference is that this was distilled in 1994. The 2005 and 2006 versions were taken from the same barrels from a 1993 distillation. I have not had the 2005, but the flavor of the 2006 and the 2007 have me curious enough to take a chance and go back in time.

I will say before going on, that as in many times past, the little reviews that Binny's puts after the listing of many bourbons are right on. Binny's knows their stuff.

The 2007 came in at 94 proof, two down from the 2006 version, and is an entirely different taste profile. Very, very nice, crisp, well defined. My first impression was rich, spicy oak in a well balanced mix of beautifully crafted apple cider backed by medium amber maple syrup.

This bourbon, after almost the whole bottle, with tastings marred by extreme garlic consumption, in a minimally cooked state with all due pungency intact, and at other times, meals with hot sauce consumption in the hundreds of thousands of Scovilles, is finally able to be placed.

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2007, goes in at No. 15. Very, very reluctantly, a bourbon I am working on a bottle of, 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, gets kicked out of the Top 25. Please keep in mind that having tried 85 bourbons in 8 1/2 years, there are LOTS that are good, like the first 60-65, with the first 40-50 being in many cases really good.

I am going to announce here also, that after the new Top 25 is named in the sticky thread, I'm going to do a general review of which of the Top 25 is likely to never be seen again, so you all don't go driving yourselves crazy, and wanting to kill me. I will also be telling you which names I can remember no longer in the Top 25, that are still good bourbons to look for.

It was very hard to place this bourbon ahead of the fall 2005 George T. Stagg, but here's another great thing to know about my Top 25. From No. 11 right through 25 and beyond, it is now no longer possible to be really disappointed with any one in that number series, should you be able to find it. If I bought No. 11 or No. 25, I'd be very happy either way.

That's good news for bourbon drinkers, but of course, the bad news is that many old favorites are gone forever. The other good news is that the earth keeps turning, and the bourbon keeps flowing, with new products every year now, flying out of distilleries like birds in Hitchcock's movie.

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2007 has pretty much the flavor profile I mentioned above. The bad news, if any, is that the finish can be short and bland. There is a wonderful, rich, deep wood flavor in this bourbon, which sometimes comes back as wood gum on the finish, but again, it's all too short, and the sweetness disappears on the finish.

Nothing really wrong here, not quite the superstar last year's Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2006 was, but still, pick up a bottle of this some time, and it would also make a great birthday or holiday gift for a friend.