I am a big fan of Old Forester. Always have been, and honestly, I probably always will be. There are exceptions, most notably the 1897, but for the most part, I find what they make the be the perfect duo of affordability and quality.
I'll admit when the this bottle was announced and the MSRP was revealed, a lofty $115 compared to an average of roughly $50 of the rest of the Whisky Row series, I was apprehensive at best. I watched auction sites and retailers and I never saw it drop to a price I was comfortable with.
I was able to get ahold of this bottle for slightly over MSRP from Total Wine and with the help of my dad, we did a review on it. I had what I can only describe as tempered expectations. I had read some reviews but honestly, the big winner of the Whisky Row series is the 1910 and nothing really matches up with it. I found myself wondering what could possibly justify the price based on previous contextual releases.
So, we tried it. I have to level with y'all, I was blown away. It was honestly quite good. Drastically different compared to anything Old Forester had previously released. Sweet and smooth and delicious with a pleasantly long and powerful burn. It has a uniquely rare spot in the bourbon world. Its MSRP is priced as a top shelf bourbon, it drinks like one, it's a household name, but it doesn't make your wallet go screaming for the hills. In an ideal world, Blanton's would be in this exact scenario.
With all of that being said, most people are not collectors of bourbon, and even if they are, it's highly unlikely that any of you collect the Whisky Row series. But if you get your hands on this bottle, I can promise you that you will not regret it. My guess is within the next year or two, this will become much more widely available. But even if it doesn't, rest assured, it's worth it to get your hands on it.
As always, enjoy, and drink safely.