Old Forester’s 2023 Birthday Bourbon
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is an annual limited release that celebrates the birthday of company founder George Gavin Brown, which was September 2, 1846. He founded the company in 1870 at only 24 years old. The 2023 release of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon marks the 23rd release of the series. This year’s release is composed of 103 barrels that were filled on May, 5, 2011, and aged in Warehouse I, on the 5th floor. It is the first release that was blended by Melissa Rift, Master Taster for Brown-Forman who replaced Jackie Zykan after her departure in 2022.
NOSE
Like some of the best Old Forester bourbons, this year’s Birthday Bourbon opens with a very rich tapestry of scents. Spearheaded with a strong array of summer fruits, layers of buttercream, sugar cookie, and apricot run rampant. This vibrancy is dynamic and full of richness translating to an aroma that is immediately impactful and memorable. Not yet done, a layer of warm caramel and an underbelly of thick roasted oak encapsulate the entire experience. The aroma works in just about every way and continues to be every bit as infectious as Birthday Bourbons have proven to be in the past.
PALATE
The bourbon does a quick 180 as the palate sheds the summer fruit sweetness from its nose. Instead, it’s replaced with dried fig and a noticeably unsweet dark red raspberry note. This dry and more roasted layer of flavor quickly transitions to leather and stout oak, which drags down the brightness of this bourbon. Furthermore, a touch of semi-sweet molasses develops giving a moment of reprieve before additional notes of barrel char and toasted oak commandeer the sip. As such, the palate struggles to soar as the weight of its dark rich flavors hold it down.
FINISH
Oak continues its reign as the whiskey further develops a dry, heavily charred, and mild tannic bite. Its astringency isn’t overly forceful, though it is hard to ignore. An interesting yet unusual mix of toasted almond and toasted walnut is introduced, which adds more confusion than intrigue. As the finish begins to trail off, a light clove and black tea note becomes more pronounced. Though the finish’s flavors keep in line with the theme that the palate introduced, it’s not impactful in any meaningful way. Overall, the finish is on the shorter side, leaving a somewhat flat and largely average drinking experience.
UNIQUENESS
Old Forester’s Birthday Bourbon brand has always been a peak release from the company. For many years, the Birthday Bourbon releases showcased the best of what Old Forester had to offer. That has slowly changed as the company has expanded their portfolio of releases. Now, King of Kentucky is the cream of the crop, commanding top dollar and deservedly so. Even the company’s 117 Series of distillery-only releases have had a few gems over the years, with the recent Bottled in Bond release surprising everyone. Who expected an out of nowhere bottled in bond release that received no prior fanfare to outshine typically rock solid Birthday Bourbon. It’s surprising, since just 2 years ago the brand completely blew us out of the water with one of their best releases ever.
Tastewise, the 2023 edition of Birthday Bourbon does have some out-of-the-ordinary flavors not typically featured in releases by the company. Dried fig and dark red raspberry notes are noteworthy for their lack of sweetness. They even contribute to the sip’s overall dry and roasted flavor profile this year. This also leads into a stout oak note adding a more pronounced charred and tannic bite upping the bourbon’s astringency level. It still tastes like an Old Forester bourbon at heart, but jettisons some of the brand’s classic fruit forward and sweet traits for some that are completely opposite of that. This is unexpected and unique for a Birthday Bourbon flavor profile, but also questionable if the tradeoff is worth it in the end.
VALUE
It has always felt like Old Forester let other major Kentucky distilleries lead with their pricing increases and then played catch-up. The price of Birthday Bourbon has steadily risen over the years. Some years it would stay flat, while other years it would see a $20-$30 jump. The excellent 2021 edition was priced at $130 as was the edition before it. The 2022 edition saw a $20 increase, as did this year’s edition. A $40 increase in 2 years is steep no matter what the brand is, but once again Old Forester is simply playing catch-up.
Typically Wild Turkey and Knob Creek have been the ones to drive price increases among the Kentucky majors. Wild Turkey’s Master’s Keep releases
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: Brown-Forman
Distillery: Brown-Forman Shively Distillery
Release Date: September 2023
Proof: 96
Age: 12 Years
Mashbill: 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Color: Dark Gold
MSRP: $170 (2023)
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Written by Olivia Taylor
Bluebird Days Whiskey Review
So slightly.
“Old Forester’s 2023 Birthday Bourbon is an annual release that combines rich fruity scents with a drier, oaky palate. While it may not stand out compared to some of the company’s other releases, it still offers a unique and enjoyable drinking experience.”
“Old Forester’s 2023 Birthday Bourbon is a rich and vibrant release that stays true to the brand’s legacy. While it may not be as impactful as previous years, it still offers a unique drinking experience worth trying.”
This review provides detailed information and critique on Old Forester’s 2023 Birthday Bourbon, including its history and uniqueness compared to other releases from the company. It also provides an in-depth analysis of the nose, palate, finish, and overall drinking experience. The reviewer notes that this release may not be as exceptional as previous years due to the expansion of Old Forester’s portfolio, but still acknowledges its impact and relevance in the world of bourbon.
This review provides a thorough and well-written analysis of the 2023 Birthday Bourbon release from Old Forester. The author not only touches on the tasting notes, but also includes interesting background information about the company and its history. Overall, a great read for bourbon enthusiasts.