Single Barrel bourbons are, by their nature, individuals. No two bottles tell quite the same story, and that is the whole point. Old Forester's Single Barrel program draws from the same mash bill that has built the brand since the nineteenth century, but each barrel is selected for its own particular voice — pulled from the warehouse only when it has the depth to stand alone.
Bottled at 90 proof, this is a bourbon that prizes balance over bravado. The nose is welcoming: vanilla bean and honeyed oak, brightened by a curl of orange peel and a soft cherry note that hints at the warehouse's slow work. There is a faint dusting of cinnamon sugar, like a bakery in the next room.
On the palate, caramel and stone fruit do most of the talking, with toasted almond and baking spice filling the middle. The 18% rye in the mash bill earns its keep here, lending a gentle prickle that keeps the sweetness from turning syrupy. The mouthfeel is silky rather than oily — a glass that asks to be sipped slowly, not chased.
The finish is medium and clean, vanilla and dried apricot trailing into a flicker of charred oak. For the price, Single Barrel offers something the standard line cannot: the small thrill of a bourbon picked just for this bottle, with all the quiet idiosyncrasies that come with it.
