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You must be 21 or over to enter this website. If you're not old enough to drink, then you're not old enough to read Breaking Bourbon.
Please read and drink responsibly.
Classification: Straight Bourbon
Company: Brown-Forman
Distillery: Brown-Forman Shively Distillery
Release Date: July 7, 2022
Proof: 100
Age: NAS (Company states nearly 7 years old)
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Color: Dark Mahogany
MSRP: $60 375mL (2022)
Charred oak | Sweet vanilla | Caramel | Dabs of leather and brown sugar | Classic bourbon scents
Light vanilla | Aged oak | Hints of cinnamon spice | Rye spice | Brown sugar sweetness | Touch of leather | Thin mouthfeel
Dry oak | Leather | Peppercorn spice | Light brown sugar sweetness | Lingering dry spice
After four releases, it’s become clear that the Old Forester continues to produce above-average bourbons with their 117 Series that are worth seeking out for those who are a fan of the brand.
This release in the Old Forester 117 Series honors the anniversary of the four-alarm fire on Whiskey Row that happened on July 7, 2015 and nearly destroyed the historic block. The company states in their press release that “in 2020, men and women of Louisville Fire, many of whom fought the blaze, selected eight single barrels from a lot filled the same day they extinguished the fire. All 8 barrels sold out in two days and proceeds were donated to the Louisville Firefighter Disaster Fund. The remainder of the barrels filled that day slumbered an additional two years in the warehouse and are now batched together to create the 117 Series - Fireman Barrels.” Notably, this will most likely be the last Old Forester 117 Series to feature former Old Forester Master Taster Jackie Zykan’s signature on the front, since Zykan left Old Forester on July 1, 2022 to start her own brand, Hidden Barn.
The follow-up to The 117 Series - 1910 Old Extra release, Batch No. 004 delivers a decent sip, yet seems to be lacking some of the magic that 1910 Old Extra and Batch No. 001 delivered. More akin to Batch No. 002, Whiskey Row Fire delivers in that it is a fine example of Old Forester’s capabilities. However, it’s hard-pressed to stand out against other current Old Forester products. There is nothing inherently wrong with the sip, yet no part of it produces any memorable characteristic. It comes across as more of just a good selection of barrels mingled into a small batch, versus more of the experimental nature that the other batches chased after. In the end, Whiskey Row Fire is another solid release in the Old Forester 117 Series, and it will be interesting to see where the company takes this series now that Zykan has departed.
