Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky 86 Proof

Old Forester 86 Proof is the everyday bourbon that started it all — the first bourbon sold exclusively in sealed glass bottles, introduced by George Garvin Brown in 1870 as a guarantee of quality when most whiskey still shipped in un-sealed barrels of dubious provenance. More than 150 years later, the 86 Proof expression remains the flagship pour of the Brown-Forman house style: a corn-forward mash bill of 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley, aged in charred new American oak until it hits the sweet spot for cocktail-strength bourbon. The nose opens with bright citrus and pear alongside classic caramel and vanilla, with a subtle floral note underneath that sets Old Forester apart from the heavier Beam-family bourbons. The palate is soft and sweetness-forward — pound cake, honeyed orchard fruit, gentle clove spice — before finishing with a distinctive spearmint-and-toasted-oak note that has been the house signature for generations. The 86 proof is deliberate: high enough to hold up in cocktails, low enough to drink neat without water. This is the Manhattan bourbon, the Old Fashioned bourbon, the Whiskey Sour bourbon. It's the bottle to keep on the bar for the drinker who wants a classic Kentucky pour without the barrel-strength drama. Pair with grilled steak, aged cheddar, or dark chocolate. Available for pickup at our Lincoln Park bottle shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.