🥃 Old Forester
Kentucky straight bourbon brand from Louisville, created in 1870 by George Garvin Brown; the first bourbon sold in sealed bottles; owned by Brown-Forman.
Old Forester is a Kentucky straight bourbon brand that George Garvin Brown, founder of Brown-Forman, created in Louisville in 1870. It is considered the first bourbon sold only in sealed glass bottles. The brand belongs to Brown-Forman, and since 2018 it has had its own distillery on Main Street in Louisville.
History. Brown, a former pharmaceutical sales agent, blended whiskey from three distilleries and sold it in sealed bottles bearing his signature as a quality guarantee; Difford's Guide dates the start of bottle sales to 1873. The name honours the doctor William Forrester. During Prohibition the brand held a permit to sell whiskey, including on a doctor's prescription, so it was sold without a break.
How it is made. According to Difford's Guide, the mash is 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley. The bourbon matures in new charred oak barrels. The Old Forester Distilling Co. distillery, opened on 14 June 2018 in the building where the brand worked in 1882–1919, has its own workshop where barrels are charred on site.
Range. 86 Proof (43% ABV, since 1959) and 100 Proof, the Whiskey Row series, the annual Birthday Bourbon since 2002 and a Rye since 2019.
Why this matters to you. “Proof” in the name is the American strength measure: 86 proof is 43% ABV, 100 proof is 50% ABV. The difference is noticeable, so check the number before buying. WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 1870, George Garvin Brown, Louisville (Kentucky); Old Forester Distilling Co. distillery — 14 June 2018 |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | 27 CFR § 5.143 (USA): bourbon — at least 51% corn, new charred oak containers; straight — at least 2 years |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey, for the EU market |
| Raw material | corn 72%, rye 18%, malted barley 10% |
| Cask type | new charred American white oak barrels |
| Minimum maturation | straight bourbon — at least 2 years; 86 Proof has no age statement |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 43% ABV (86 Proof); 50% ABV (100 Proof) |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Old Forester → affects → 🍷 Alcohol and health ← affects ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Brown-Forman
- Packed in
- 🐝 American white oak, 🍷 Barrel toasting
- Made from
- 🥃 Rye and corn in whisky
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Bourbon whiskey, 🥃 Straight bourbon whiskey, 🥃 Straight rye whiskey
- Related to
- 🌍 North America
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Woodford Reserve, 🥃 Jack Daniel's, 🥃 Buffalo Trace
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Old Forester was the first bourbon in bottles?
Brown-Forman and the brand itself say so: since 1870 the bourbon was sold only in sealed glass bottles. Difford's Guide dates this to 1873.
How did Old Forester survive Prohibition?
The brand held one of the few permits to sell whiskey in 1920–1933, including on a doctor's prescription.
Who owns Old Forester?
Brown-Forman, the company founded by the brand's creator, George Garvin Brown.
What do 86 and 100 Proof mean?
They are strength in American proof units: 86 proof is 43% ABV, 100 proof is 50% ABV.
Why is the name spelled with one “r”?
The brand was named after the doctor William Forrester, but the spelling Forester stuck to the bourbon's name.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🐝 American white oak — A North American oak that gives wine strong vanilla and coconut notes.
- 🌍 North America — US and Canada: 9.5 million US cows gave 232 billion lb of milk (2025); Wisconsin makes a quarter of US cheese; Canada runs on dairy quotas.
- 🥃 Jack Daniel's — Tennessee whiskey from Lynchburg (USA): before aging, the spirit is filtered through a three-metre layer of sugar maple charcoal.
Similar
🥃 Michter's · 🥃 Jim Beam · 🥃 Elijah Craig · 🥃 Blanton's · 🥃 Baker's · 🥃 Old Crow
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Old Forester: Legacy Timeline (1870 George Garvin Brown, named after Dr. William Forrester, sealed glass bottles at 90 proof; 1897 100 proof; 1920 Prohibition permit; 1959 86 proof; 2002 Birthday Bourbon; 2018 distillery at 119 W. Main St.)
- Difford's Guide: Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon (43 %; 72 % corn, 18 % rye, 10 % malted barley; Prohibition sale on prescription; Brown-Forman)
- Brown-Forman: Old Forester (America's First Bottled Bourbon, 1870, 322 W. Main St.; sold before, during and after Prohibition; 86 and 100 Proof)
- 27 CFR § 5.143 Standards of identity for whisky (bourbon: mash min. 51 % corn, new charred oak containers; straight: min. 2 years), text via Cornell LII
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)