Old Forester 117 Series Rum Cask Finish Batch 001 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky 375ml

Old Forester 117 Series Rum Cask Finish Batch 001 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky arrives at a well-balanced 95 proof (47.5% ABV) in a 375ml bottle, a highly innovative and tropical expression within Old Forester's limited 117 Series from Louisville, Kentucky. Released in July 2024 by Brown-Forman's founding brand - America's first bottled bourbon, sealed and signed by George Garvin Brown in 1870 - Rum Cask Finish marks a dedicated study in historical river trade dynamics. This specialized batch pays homage to the 19th-century commercial cargo trade on the Ohio River, which frequently brought a vibrant variety of exotic, cask-aged spirits directly to the bustling wharf positioned just behind Old Forester Distillery on Louisville's historic Whiskey Row.

The name describes a sweet secondary maturation period rather than an engineered flavor additive. To create this unique flavor profile, the distillery team took mature, straight bourbon whiskey and finished it for approximately six months inside select secondary casks that previously matured quality rum for a minimum of four years. This creative barrel treatment was overseen by Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo, whose deep professional background in international rum production allowed him to perfectly balance the spicy char of Old Forester's traditional 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley mash bill against the sweet, molasses-driven complexities native to the Caribbean sugarcane spirit born at DSP-KY-354.

In the glass, the official tasting notes open with rich aromas of buttery toffee, sweet banana custard, and toasted coconut over inviting undertones of fresh apple, new leather, and dried strawberries. A silky, balanced, and fruit-forward texture coats the palate with dominant flavors of ripe tropical fruit, cooked pear, and rich toffee while layers of dry barrel spice, light cinnamon, and soft wood tannins add complex texture, and the finish leads with a long, lazy, and dry transition filled with building creaminess, warming rye spice, and a splash of sweet red licorice. Rum Cask Finish joins a 117 Series lineup - named for the brand's original address at 117 W. Main St. and launched in 2021 - that includes 1910 Extra Extra Old, Whiskey Row Fire, and High Angels' Share.

For collectors, Batch 001 carries weight beyond the liquid as the first-ever rum-finished expression in the brand's long and storied history. The 117 Series remains Old Forester's experimental canvas, bottled exclusively in the distinctive 375ml format and released in limited quantities through the Old Forester Distillery and select Kentucky retailers, which keeps every experimental batch highly scarce beyond the Bluegrass State. As a flawless marriage of traditional Kentucky bourbon craftsmanship and rich Caribbean barrel aging, Rum Cask Finish Batch 001 stands as an essential, boundary-pushing chapter in Old Forester's modern history and a natural cornerstone for any serious spirits collection.

• Size: 375ml
• Proof: 95 (47.5% ABV)
• Age: No age statement (Matured at least 4 years prior to secondary finishing)
• Origin: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
• Distillery: Old Forester Distillery (Brown-Forman), DSP-KY-354
• Whisky Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
• Series: The 117 Series (launched 2021)
• Batch: 001
• Barrel/Char Treatment: Finished for approximately six months in secondary casks that previously matured rum for at least four years
• Curator/Master Distiller: Caleb Trigo, Assistant Master Distiller
• Tasting Notes: Nose: buttery toffee, banana custard, coconut, fresh apple, new leather, dried strawberries; Palate: tropical fruit, cooked pear, toffee, dry barrel spice, cinnamon, wood tannins; Finish: long dry finish, creaminess, warm spice, sweet red licorice