Old Forester 100 Proof

Sometimes, people, especially non-Kentuckians or bourbon newbies, often ask me what my go-to bourbon is. Of course, that’s never an easy question. Everyone in Kentucky knows that a whole lot of factors go into that answer. Is there someone in the room who works at a particular distillery? Then their employer is definitely your favorite. Other factors include where your tastebuds are at the moment, whether you’re sipping or mixing in a cocktail, etc., etc. But, even with all of those disclaimers out of the way, I find that my answer usually is Old Forester 100 Proof.

I straight-up love Forester 100 as a sipper. I’m a huge fan of the warm butterscotch aroma, the apple and spice palate, and the toffee and clove finish. I also love that it’s at an incredible price point, and that it makes a fantastic cocktail. I think that this one belongs on every home bourbon bar.

I’ve had the opportunity to get to know a few of the folks on the brand team at Old Fo, and I can tell y’all that they are incredible. Master Taster Jackie Zykan is the coolest lady ever, and the entire team has an incredible vision for the future of the label. If you love Kentucky history and good whiskey, you should definitely visit the Old Forester Distillery and learn all about the first bottled bourbon! (My t-shirt is available in the distillery gift shop!)

I’ve also had a few people ask about my bourbon barrel bracelets — I always wear these to whiskey-tasting events. These are by Bourbon & Boweties and are available exclusively at Sweet Mash Goods in Lawrenceburg. These are my very favorites, and are a subtle way to reflect my love of bourbon every day!

What’s your go-to bourbon?

Brown-Forman Cooperage Tour and Coopers' Craft Tasting

Last Friday, I got THE BEST birthday present… from Brown-Forman!

I had the opportunity to visit Brown-Forman’s Cooperage, which I’ve wanted to see for so long! I was among a group of bourbon writers invited to tour the cooperage and sample the newest Brown-Forman bourbon expression, Coopers’ Craft Barrel Reserve. Brown-Forman is the only Kentucky bourbon company that crafts barrels in-house, and the Coopers’ Craft brand of bourbon pays homage to Brown-Forman’s coopers.

Barrel Head Pressing at Brown-Forman

The tour was amazing and so, so cool! We learned that the cooperage produces 300 barrels a day, at the rate of about 1 barrel per 45 seconds! Each barrel is made of approximately 29-33 oak staves, which are pieced together without any glue or nails — it’s simply the cooper’s skill with staves and hoops!

Barrel Assembly at Brown-Forman Cooperage

Every bourbon lover knows that a brief char on the inside surface of the barrel is responsible for so much of the color and flavor of the final distillate. What you might not know is that the smell of charred barrels is pretty heavenly!

Y’all, it was such a wonderful experience. We heard about some of the most loyal employees — a three-generation family of coopers (including a female cooper!) and a cooper who’s on the three-month countdown to his fifty year anniversary. It’s clear that safety, sustainability, and community are the utmost goals of the cooperage!

The cooperage is located next to the new Coopers’ Craft homestead experience. We were among the first to sample the second expression of the Coopers’ Craft line, Barrel Reserve.

While the original Coopers’ Craft bourbon is low proof (82.2), the barrel reserve is 100 proof. Barrel Reserve utilizes a unique, chiseled barrel which allows the bourbon to penetrate into the barrel more deeply . The result is a stronger, spicier expression than the original Coopers’ Craft.

Tasting notes for Coopers’ Craft Bourbon

You can find my Bourbon + Boweties bangle at Lawrenceburg’s Sweet Mash Goods.

After we tasted the original and barrel reserve expressions, we were treated to a boulevardier cocktail.

Best of all, we were joined in the tasting by Brown-Forman Master Distiller Chris Morris. It’s always a treat to talk with Mr. Morris. He’s so brilliant and funny and he knows literally everything about bourbon!

You can visit the Brown-Forman Cooperage and Coopers’ Craft Homestead exclusively through Mint Julep Experience tours.