Old Forester 86 Proof Bourbon starts off with roasted caramel, apple, vanilla, and citrus with toasted oak and cinnamon that follow close behind. There is a little bite at first, but it’s nothing major. After “chewing” I taste a moderate amount of caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, banana, toasted oak, cinnamon, citrus, and baked apples. While there still isn’t much heat, Old Forester does have a little spicy cinnamon and nutmeg bite to it, as well as a middle of the road and not thin mouthfeel. It’s not a complex or interesting bourbon, but it’s also decently enjoyable. To be honest, it could be a lot worse so I’ll take it.
The finish initially is light with honey, toasted grains, licorice, and citrus; and after a minute I start to get hints of banana. I didn’t expect that Jack Daniel’s trait to carry over to Old Forester, but I’m starting to realize that it’s a Brown Forman thing. With “chewing”, the finish becomes a little more oaky, dry, and sweet all at the same time with honey, toasted grains, vanilla, sliced apple, and citrus. After a minute or so I get some roasted banana, dried citrus, licorice, and mint. The finish, while light, is actually kind of nice and certainly a good ending for Old Forester.