Old Forester’s Latest Limited Edition Bottled in Bond Bourbon is a Game-Changer

Are you ready to elevate your bourbon game? Old Forester has just released a new limited edition bottled-in-bond (BIB) expression as part of its 117 Series, and we got an early taste. This Kentucky distillery is well known and regarded for its affordable lineup of whiskeys, which don’t sacrifice quality for attainability. But the distillery also has some scarcer, higher-end expressions in its lineup, like the annual Birthday Bourbon release.

What is Bottled in Bond?

As a quick refresher, the bottled-in-bond designation originated with the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897, and indicates a few key things—the whiskey is at least four years old, bottled at 100 proof, produced at one distillery during one distillation season, and matured in federally bonded warehouses.

Rich flavors and a decent bit of age

The 117 Series

This new release stands on its own, according to master taster Melissa Rift. “The 1897 BIB is an annual offering and is part of our craft series, so it’s typically a small batch release,” she told us. “We’re always putting together batches from a single season at 100 proof that fall in the wood and spices flavor profile. We don’t put any details on the bottle, but it does come from one distillation season as is required to be bottled-in-bond. For the 117 Series, we really honed in on the single distillation season as the main variable for flavor development. We selected the warm and wet spring of 2014, which also means that this expression has a decent bit of age to it, more than you’d typically find in the 1897 offering. We found it has really dynamic and rich flavors to it.”

Barrels from one season, with continuity in age and flavor

Other expressions in the 117 Series have been released in two batches, such as Whiskey Row Fire and High Angel’s Share, so it’s possible that could be the case with this new BIB expression as well. But according to Rift, each release is intended to be a one-time offering, so if there were to be a new 117 BIB it would be from a different distillation season and focus on a unique flavor variable.

Bottled in Bond: More Than Just a Label

Bottled in bond continues to be a popular whiskey style with both large and small distilleries. Some of the best Dickel whiskey over the past few years has been the BIB expressions that Nicole Austin and her team have put out. While some people view it as more of a marketing tactic and bit of nostalgia, Rift believes that bottled in bond still has meaning. “For a long time, BIB was kind of a throwback label,” she said. “For us at Old Forester, that’s been the point of the brand since its inception, so we never really needed BIB to communicate that for us. But in our modern iteration [with its various lineups], and Birthday Bourbon where you’re getting down to a single day’s production, BIB kind of sits between those worlds. These barrels were all from one season, so they’ve gone through the same [weather] patterns together. We know barrels next to each other can still come out completely different, but there is continuity to [how they turned out] age- and flavor-wise.”

Classic Old Forester notes of maple, vanilla, and brown sugar

Our Verdict

We got an early sample of the new 117 Series Bottled in Bond, and it’s an excellent bourbon. Classic Old Forester notes of maple, vanilla, and brown sugar lead the palate, with a nice dash of heat and spice along for the ride. There are some hints of apple and plum as well, with just a bit of menthol on the finish.

Get Your Hands on It

Old Forester 117 Series: Bottled in Bond is available as of today for an SRP of $60, but based on past 117 releases expect to pay much more than that on the secondary market. You can also find the entire lineup, including the highly coveted Birthday Bourbon, available now from websites like ReserveBar.