Old Forester 1897 Bottled In Bond Bourbon Whisky
Old Forester 1897 Bottled In Bond Bourbon Whisky is a 750mL Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV), the second release in Old Forester's Whiskey Row Series and a tribute to the U.S. Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. By that designation it is the product of one distillation season, one distiller and one distillery, aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least four years. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 50% (100 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Age: At least 4 years (the Bottled-in-Bond minimum; no specific age or season is stated)
- Designation: Bottled in Bond — one season, one distiller, one distillery, bonded warehouse
- Series: Whiskey Row Series, second release (2015)
- Origin: Louisville, Kentucky
The Act That Sealed in Quality
The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 was a watershed for American whiskey drinkers — a federal guarantee in an era of rectified and doctored spirits. Old Forester's point, made in the brand's own copy, is that George Garvin Brown had anticipated the Act's "sealed-in quality" idea 27 years earlier, in 1870, when he began selling bourbon only in sealed, signed bottles. The Whiskey Row Series revisits the brand as it was enjoyed from the late 1800s through the mid-1920s, and the 1897 release — following the 1870 Original Batch — is its bonded chapter. The rest of the range is on the Old Forester vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Per the producer's current notes: a robust aroma of intense caramel and vanilla bean with dried fruits, sweet leather and cured tobacco; a palate led by sticky toffee and smoky wood, with figs, dates and raisins structured by black pepper and cinnamon spice; and a big, bold finish of deep fruit, spice and oak over dark caramel and vanilla, with leather and cured tobacco lingering.
How to Enjoy
Pour it neat or with a few drops of water and give the dried fruit and tobacco time to unfold — this is the contemplative end of the Old Forester range. Bonded bourbons and their kin are gathered in our bourbon whiskey collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Bottled in Bond mean?
Under the 1897 Act, a Bottled-in-Bond whiskey must be the product of one distillation season, one distiller and one distillery, aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least four years, and bottled at exactly 100 proof.
How old is Old Forester 1897 Bottled In Bond?
At least four years, as the designation requires. The brand does not state a specific age or distillation season for this bottling, so no exact age can be claimed for it.
What is the Whiskey Row Series?
Old Forester's series of releases marking milestones in the brand's history as it was enjoyed from the late 1800s to the mid-1920s — the 1870 Original Batch came first, and the 1897 Bottled In Bond followed in 2015.
History you can hold to a federal standard — order Old Forester 1897 Bottled In Bond online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.