Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Whisky (750mL)

Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style is part of Old Forester’s Whiskey Row series, focused on historic expressions from the brand’s history. The Whiskey Row series includes the 1870 Original Batch, 1897 Bottled in Bond, and 1910 Old Fine Whisky. Old Forester 1920 is supposed to emulate what they made during prohibition. 

A fun fact: Old Forester is one of the oldest bourbon distilleries in the US, having existed before and through prohibition. Where many had to close, Old Forester received one of the few licenses to continue distilling and selling for “medicinal purposes”. It’s was also supposedly the first to bottle whiskey, which helped to prevent tampering.

In the greater picture of Old Forester bourbon, this Old Forester 1920 is one of the highest-ABV and available bourbons they sell. The single barrels, availability-wise are hit or miss, and the 3 different batches of 150th anniversary edition are extremely limited and difficult to obtain. So if you want high-ABV Old Forester, this is really your main option.

Old Forester 1920 at first releases fragrant and alcohol-soaked maraschino cherries, brown sugar, and apple pie spices with a healthy dose of musty corn, dough, and wood that cover my nostrils. Honestly, I don’t really love all that doughiness.

Swirling ups the vanilla and buttercream scents mixed with darker charred wood, cinnamon, caramel, maple syrup, and other spices, but still leans a bit more bright and vibrant overall. The scents ebb and flow between sugar, orange, apple, cinnamon, mint, vanilla, and cocoa that sometimes give me baked apples with a spritz of orange and lemon, peppermint patties, or pecan pie.

Again, there’s the same musty corn and wood, and raw dough smell with mint and pine. Everything is very nice minus the noticeable raw dough smell that fades over time as you let the glass breathe. Still, no amount of air seems to get rid of that slightly unpleasant dough.