Old Forester 117 Series High Angels Share Batch 001 Straight Bourbon Whisky 375ml

Old Forester 117 Series High Angels' Share Batch 001 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky arrives at a well-balanced 110 proof (55% ABV) in a 375ml bottle, a highly concentrated and deeply rich expression within Old Forester's limited 117 Series from Louisville, Kentucky. Released in March 2021 by Brown-Forman's founding brand - America's first bottled bourbon, sealed and signed by George Garvin Brown in 1870 - High Angels' Share Batch 001 marks a dedicated study in advanced atmospheric evaporation. This specialized batch draws entirely from a low-yield selection of barrels where intense environmental forces caused an unusually high loss of liquid to the atmosphere, concentrating the remaining bourbon to an unprecedented degree inside the aging warehouses on Louisville's historic Main Street at DSP-KY-354.

The name describes the natural phenomenon of evaporative loss during heat-cycled maturation rather than an engineered finishing process. To bring this unique profile to light, the distillery team isolated the specific casks where the angels took far more than their traditional portion, resulting in a rich density of flavor that cannot be replicated through standard aging. This dramatic reduction in volume yields a massive concentration of wood sugars and native spirit compounds, and the blending team describes the result as an unencumbered look at the maturation process, delivering a straight bourbon whiskey of immense structural depth, complex dark flavor notes, and robust oak integration born of the distillery's standard 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley mash bill.

In the glass, the official tasting notes open with rich aromas of deep caramel, dark chocolate, and heavy espresso bean over prominent undertones of molasses, tobacco leaf, and heavy charred oak. A thick, viscous, and persistent sweetness coats the palate with dominant flavors of dark ginger, black cherry fruit, and sweet vanilla cream while layers of dense baking spice, sharp cinnamon, and robust molasses add sophisticated texture, and the finish leads with an extensive wave of chewy barrel char, bitter chocolate, and a touch of dry oak spice. High Angels' Share Batch 001 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 Warehouse H.

For collectors, Batch 001 carries monumental weight beyond the liquid as the historic, inaugural release that launched the entire experimental line. 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 showcase of how accelerated evaporation deepens the soul of a classic Kentucky spirit, High Angels' Share Batch 001 stands as an essential, flavor-packed milestone in Old Forester's modern history and a natural cornerstone for any serious bourbon collection.

• Size: 375ml
• Proof: 110 (55% ABV)
• Age: No age statement
• 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: Sourced from the inaugural selection of low-yield barrels experiencing heavy evaporative loss in heat-cycled rickhouses
• Curator/Master Distiller: Jackie Zykan, Master Taster
• Tasting Notes: Nose: deep caramel, dark chocolate, heavy espresso bean, molasses, tobacco leaf, charred oak; Palate: dark ginger, black cherry fruit, sweet vanilla cream, baking spice, cinnamon, molasses; Finish: lengthy and robust, chewy barrel char, bitter chocolate, dry oak spice