Old Forester 1920

I had to bring out the siblings to welcome home the newest Old Forester Whisky Row release.  The Old Forester 1920 is "Prohibition Style" and is bottled at the same 115 proof as Owsley Brown bottled his medicinal whisky during prohibition.  At $60, it's just a slight step up in price from the first two Whisky Row releases, which were sold for $50 and $55.

The previous two releases included the 1870 "Original Batch" and the 1897 "Bottled in Bond."  The Original Batch is bottled at 90 proof and pays homage to the "first bottled bourbon" crafted by George Garvin Brown in 1870.  Prior to this, most whiskey was sold in barrel to bars and other establishments, where it was often adulterated with chemicals, caramelized sugar, prune juice, glycerine or even tobacco spit.  The 1897 release is named after the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, which offered further protection to consumers from murky marketing and charlatans.  To be bottled in bond a whiskey must be distilled at one distillery, during one distilling season, be aged for a minimum of four years and be bottled at 100 proof.  This is an upmarket expression of the Bottled-in-Bond category.  Others, that are often high quality or a great value include Evan Williams 100p, Heaven Hill, Henry McKenna, Rittenhouse Rye or even Mellow Corn (a corn whiskey).  A fourth Whisky Row bottling may be released this year under the 1910 label, which has already been approved.

I really enjoyed the first two releases and the third is my favorite of the bunch.  It's darker, richer and more complex than the other two.  The proof has something to do with this, but I would imagine isn't the whole story. 

It is deep mahogany in color.

The nose is huge and bursting with brown sugar, dustiness, wood, dark, wet tea leaves, cherry, cinnamon and vanilla.

There is a bit of alcohol burn on the palate. It's full of maple syrup, brown sugar caramel, black pepper, cinnamon, oak and saddle leather. The most notable thing about the palate to me is the texture. It's incredibly rich, thick, viscous, syrupy and elegant.

A lingering finish with wood, toasty flavors and saddle leather.

I really enjoy this pour. It's on the medium to high end price range, but really over delivers with flavors and mouthfeel. If you haven't tried this yet, and it's available in your area, I'd highly recommend giving it a try.

Scuppernong (or Lewis and Co Orange Blossom Tea Jelly) Sour

I recently read the book Bitters by Brad Thomas Parsons and, on his incredibly enthusiastic recommendation, bought a bottle of Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters. They age their bitters in barrel "until maturity is achieved."  I found a bottle of the 2014 "vintage" on a local store's shelf.  I was looking for something to use these incredibly deep and complex flavorful bitters in when I came across his recipe for a Scuppernong Sour.

This was my first cocktail using raw egg whites.  I don't know why I hadn't tried it before.  There's just an ingrown aversion to using raw or under cooked poultry products that is really drummed into you in America.

Boy am I sad I waited! This drink had such a beautiful, rich mouth feel and a brightness from the citrus and jelly. It's the kind of cocktail that is tough to sip because you just want to down the entire icy cold, smooth and citrusy thing in one drink.

Scuppernong is a variety of Muscadine grape native to the south eastern United States.  I found a suitable substitute in my pantry.


2 T Lewis and Co Orange Blossom Tea Jelly
2 oz Old Forester 100 Proof Bourbon
2 Dashes Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1 Egg White

Shake the cocktail dry (without ice) to incorporate everything and then add ice and shake until chilled. Double strain through a fine mesh into a coup glass and enjoy.


This was an incredible, eye-opening cocktail that was my introduction to egg white including mixed drinks. Find an appropriate jelly and give it a try yourself.

For the Love of Barrel Proof and Cask Strength Whiskey

I love barrel proof whiskey.  I am unashamedly a fan of bottled in bond bourbon at 100 proof.  Even barrel proof rye and bourbon such as Michter’s and Wild Turkey Rare Breed, which rarely top 110 proof are exciting.  My true love in barrel proof whiskies are the Bourbon and Rye bottling that top 130 proof.  To be a bourbon, it must be bottled at 80 proof (40%) or higher.  

 The difference in concentration and flavors from 80 to 86 proof, or 80 to 90, or 80 to 100 can be dramatic, all adding more complex flavors to the finished product.  Distillers traditionally cut their barrel strength whiskey with distilled water down to 80 proof (or the desired proof) to increase yields or to make a more standardized product.  Old Forester bottles their standard bourbon at 86 proof, Makers Mark at 90 proof, and others such as Jack Daniel’s and Jim Beam stick to 80 proof for their standard line.

To be considered Bourbon in the United States the whiskey must not be distilled past 160 proof and must not enter the barrel at more than 125 proof(among other things).  Some producers such as Makers Mark and Wild Turkey add water to their distillate before putting it in barrel to lower the barrel entry proof.  This affects what flavors are extracted from the new charred white oak barrel.   Depending on the aging length, evaporation, location of the barrel in the rickhouse and other factors the "Barrel Proof" or "Cask Strength" whiskey removed from the barrel may be higher or lower than when it entered.  In my experience Bourbon tends to be higher and some cask strength Scotch tends to be lower.

My favorite barrel proof bourbons are the Stagg Jr and Elijah Craig,  Stagg Jr comes from Buffalo Trace Distillery and the Elijah Craig is crafted by Heaven Hill.  Both top 130 proof and offer an intense concentration of color and flavor.  Elijah Craig has offered a so called "Hazmat Release" topping 140 proof that shouldn't be brought on commercial airliners.

The Stagg Jr is made from the Buffalo Trace mashbill number one which contains at least 51% corn and 10% or less rye along with malted barley.  Each release differs in proof and the one I have is 132.1 proof.  My cocktail of choice is the Manhattan with Bourbon, sweet vermouth, bitters and cherries.  Barrel proof spirits work especially well in this instance, with the high proof and strong flavors of the bourbon matching the sweetness and herbal complexity of the vermouth, bitters and cherries.  Try the Stagg Jr in one of these and you will not be disappointed.  

The color is   a dark amber.

The nose is rounded with vanilla and oak, cinnamon, creme brulee, brown sugar syrup and coffee.  It becomes more effusive and rich with the addition of a little water or ice.

The palate has some heat of alcohol at 132.1 proof.  There are rich flavors of butter and toffee, some burnt sugar, vanilla and oak. There are some higher toned fruity esters such as banana and raspberry.

The finish is smooth considering the proof.  There is a throat coating buttery caramel character.

My current favorite Bourbon is the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.  The batch I have clocks in at 135.6 proof.  It runs about sixty dollars.  Tasted neat out of a glancairn glass.

The color is a dark mahogany.

The nose is full, with rich brown sugar notes, sweet caramel, wood and a hint of grain husk, almost dusty.

The palate is huge, rich and concentrated, with some alcohol burn, it is smooth and velvety feeling, with flavors of brown sugar, toffee, wood/oak, some red berry fruit character and cinnamon and nutmeg.

The finish is nice and dry.  There is an instant warming sensation followed by brown sugar syrup, a medium length wood/oak flavor and a hint of coffee bitterness.

This is one that I can highly recommend and will pick up when I have the chance.  They've made nine or ten batches at this point and I'm sure that they all have distinct nuances and flavor profiles along the traditional Elijah Craig sweet/rich/oak flavor profile.

I've enjoyed other barrel proof whiskies including the EH Taylor Barrel Proof Rye.  Many producers are recognizing the demand for barrel proof offerings and are starting to release more as special releases.  Bulleit and Knob Creek are about to release their own barrel proof offerings.