George Garvin Brown, a former pharmaceutical salesman, first bottled and marketed the Old Forester brand in 1870, making it the longest continuously sold bourbon on the planet. During the hellish years of prohibition Brown-Forman (the company behind the brand) was one of the few distilleries granted a medical license for their alcohol production. “A bourbon a day keeps the doctor at bay.”
THE FLAVOR PROFILE
The aroma is sharp and sweet, with a strong floral character that hints at rich tobacco leaf, mint and vanilla. Palate starts coarse but softens quickly leading into oak, sweet corn and a spicy rye grain character. Vanilla and orange notes dwell on the finish.
CATEGORY DESCRIPTION
Bourbon is a type of American whiskey, a barrel-aged distilled liquor made primarily from corn and often rounded out with malted barley and rye (though some brands utilize wheat). The name “bourbon” was not applied until the 1850s, and did not become widespread until the 1870s. Bourbon must be made within the United States, be composed of at least 51% corn, and aged in new charred oak barrels.
