It’s here! Old Forester unveils the 2024 birthday bourbon

Old Forester has just introduced its rare, coveted birthday bourbon. (Photo: Old Forester)

On Thursday, Old Forester announced the return of its rarest and most sought-after varietal in 2024: Birthday Bourbon. Birthday Bourbon celebrates the birthday of Old Forester founder George Garvin Brown.

The 2024 edition has an age statement of 12 years and an alcohol content of 107 proof. The brand said that Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris, Master Taster Melissa Rift and Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo collaborated on the project. The bourbon was drawn from 209 barrels.

“Twelve years of aging in Warehouses G and L have produced a rich and unique flavor profile that is perfect for this coveted annual release,” explained Trigo.

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is extremely rare and hard to come by. Those interested in snagging a bottle can enter an online sweepstakes that runs from Thursday the 15th through next Wednesday. Lucky winners must travel to Louisville and pick up their bottle at the distillery between September 5th and December 14th. Each customer can only purchase one bottle and the bourbon has a suggested retail price of $129.99.

“There is no better way to celebrate our founder and our long history than by getting our rarest expression into the hands of bourbon lovers across the country,” Rift explained.

In July, Old Forester released the latest in its 117 series, a bourbon aged in rum barrels. According to the brand, the bourbon has sweet molasses notes.

Forbes reported that George Garvin Brown was a pharmaceutical salesman who founded Old Forester in 1870. Old Forester shared that Brown was the first to seal whiskey in a glass bottle, making Old Forester the brand behind the first bottled bourbon. Old Forester shared that it is one of the few bourbon brands with a 150-year history of being owned by the same family. The brand also managed to survive uninterrupted during Prohibition.

Brown joined forces with his accountant George Forman and the team formed Brown-Forman twenty years later. In 2024, the Brown family has a net worth of $16.5 billion.

Tasting notes on Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, about the brand

Nose: Bright fruits with hints of orchard fruits like apples and apricots. Buttercream frosting intertwined with tobacco.

Taste good: Juicy, bold fruits followed by cinnamon spices mixed with toasted oak.

Finish: Caramelized apple, ground cinnamon and cocoa.

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