Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Bourbon. Ok guys, this is one of my absolute favorite bourbons in my collection, and I know I’m not alone with this opinion. It’s priced in the mid-high range (about $50-60) and to me is worth every cent. If I could only own one bourbon at a time, this surely would have its spot in the rotation.
It’s named “1920 Prohibition Style”…which initially seems a bit contradictory as the whole basis of Prohibition was to outlaw alcoholic beverages. However, there were a couple exceptions to the law:
- Physicians could still write prescriptions for alcohol for medical use for both adults AND children
- Clergymen could still provide wine for religious ceremonies
As you’d imagine, those clauses resulted in lots of “sick” people yearning for spirited cures, wealthy corrupt doctors who capitalized on the lucrative business of expensive alcohol prescriptions, and fake clergymen.
Back in Kentucky, the Brown-Forman company has been making whiskey since 1870. After Prohibition took effect in 1920, they continued their whiskey business with a license for medicinal distribution of alcohol to fill all those spirited prescriptions. The 115 proof (57.5%) reflects the strength that was likely bottled from their Prohibition-era stock.
All marketing and stories aside, this is a freakin fantastic bottle that is always such a treat. And best part, it’s readily available!