Alright. I’ll say it. I like Old Forester now.

It started with the Old Forester 150th Anniversary Batch 1, then the Old Forester 117 Series High Angel’s Share, then the penultimate step was the Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Proof “Spice and Jam” from my friend Mike over at Bourbon Culture. Then came this beauty of a bottle.

I’ve learned through tastings that Rob Bralow, owner of Blue Streak Wines and Spirits in Long Island City, NY, and I have very similar palates. I can’t overstate how important that is when looking for private picks. You can live and breathe FOMO, hunt for the newest bottle, stand in line for hours for some picks, but if you’re looking to drink it, don’t you want to know there’s a solid chance you’ll like what’s inside the bottle?

It took years for me to figure that part out. There are so many private picks I regret buying. Many of them aren’t even bad picks, they just aren’t my jam. Maybe it’s a brand I don’t align with, or a bottle with a bomb-ass sticker (MWPS did a pick at Starlight Distillery with Starlight from The Boys on it…I mean, how could I pass that up, right?). I finally finished my last Four Roses Single Barrel pick a few weeks ago and am in no rush to grab another.

This pick, though - and the Barrell Rye from Blue Streak that won my 2020 Rye-of-the-Year contest - are stellar. I mean that word - stellar.

This single barrel came from the top floor (8) of Rickhouse J and is a whopping 134.8 proof. I’m sure they’re out there, but I haven’t seen another one this high with my own eyes. Take elements of the 117 Series High Angel’s Share, some lessons from the outstanding Special Releases Jack Daniel’s has been putting out, crank the banana bread to 15, and add a proof that will punch you in the face and hug you ‘till it’s over.

This single barrel is about 4.5 years old, and look at that color. It looks like a Scotch that’s been aging in sherry for 20 years. I put it up blind in a flight with Booker’s 2021-03 “Bardstown Batch” and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C921 and it beat them both by more than half a point. I’m a proof whore and proud of it, and this knocked me on my ass.

Why did someone who wasn’t 100% behind Old Forester take a chance on this? Maybe it’s the proof. Maybe it’s my recent experience loving Brown-Forman products. Maybe it’s because I knew the guy picking the barrel knows what is shit and what isn’t.

I doubt there are any bottles left, and I say that regretfully since I only bought one when I had the chance for two. If you want to taste it, though, stop by Rob’s bar, BLVD, right next to Blue Streak and blocks away from multiple train lines. Stop in and say hi, grab a few of his single barrels, and understand what it means to trust your local guy to pick a barrel.

Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Proof Bourbon - Blue Streak “Apraxia” Pick Whiskey: Specs

Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Origin: Brown-Forman Distillery

Mashbill: 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley

Proof: 134.8 (67.4% ABV)

Age: NAS

Location: Kentucky

Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Proof Bourbon - Blue Streak “Apraxia” Pick Whiskey Price: $84

No Official Website

Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Proof Bourbon - Blue Streak “Apraxia” Pick Whiskey Review: Tasting Notes

Eye: Dark, reddish maple syrup. Thin rims, very slow and small droplets.

Nose: Strong proof sneaks up behind candied bananas and smacks you in the face. Vanilla, cloves, and dark brown sugar blend into a run-like dark richness.

Palate: Wow that’s powerful - hot, syrupy, banana candies, brown sugar and black pepper. Banana liqueur on fire. Mouthfeel is drying, just as powerful, numbing the tongue and coating the whole palate in a spicy banana pudding and vanilla extract glaze. Medium-bodied and intensely flavorful.

Finish: Flavors continue to deepen as the proof fades. Rich toffee pudding, brown sugar caramels, and the barest of oak astringency. Very long finish.

Overall: Delicious. Not overly complex, but in a good way. This knows what it is - Brown-Forman at a 15/10 - and doesn’t shy from it. Proof is powerful enough to hit hard but never gets close to overpowering. Flavors bounce back with every sip, as do I.

Final Rating: 8.2

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Old Label Batch 4 or 2, Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (Stagg Jr. Batch 10, Highland Park Single Barrels)

7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)

6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)

5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)

4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)

3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)

2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)

1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)