Bourbon Bonanza: Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style review

One of the realities of Bourbon in Europe is that the available choices are quite poor, to say the least. Here in Italy, the situation is even sadder. Apart from the mass-market brands used for mixers, and some Old Turkey, which being owned by the Italian spirits multinational Campari gets preferential treatment, we see very little of the “good stuff”. While the Buffalo Trace I reviewed in my previous post was purchased locally, the rest of the bottles in this series were acquired during trips to the US or brought as gifts by friends. The first of these bottles I will review is the Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style.

The roots of Old Forester

Before I dive into the review, let’s look at the history of Old Forester and what’s happening at its parent company, Brown-Forman. Old Forester first appeared on the market in 1870 (originally as Old Forrester). The brand has been on the market for over 150 years without interruption. It even survived Prohibition by obtaining a medicinal whiskey license, making it the longest continuously operating Bourbon brand in the US. I do wonder if medical bourbon back then was a bit like medical marijuana today. Let’s get back on track.

Founded by George Garvin Brown, a young pharmaceutical salesman in Louisville, Kentucky, Old Forester was the first bottled bourbon in sealed bottles. Brown pioneered selling bourbon in sealed glass bottles, ensuring authenticity and quality control during an era when adulteration was not uncommon. Initially sourced from other Kentucky distilleries, the Brown family commenced distilling their own spirit in 1902.

Ownership of Old Forester has stayed within the Brown family for over 150 years. Over the generations, the company evolved into Brown-Forman Corporation, the third largest spirits company in the world after DIAGEO and Pernod Ricard at the time of writing. Despite its long success, some cracks have recently appeared.

Brown-Forman’s 2025 struggles

In recent months, Brown-Forman implemented several significant cost-saving measures. In January 2025, Brown-Forman announced a 12% reduction in its global workforce, affecting approximately 650 employees. As part of the workforce reduction, the company decided to close its cooperage facility in Louisville, Kentucky, by end of April 2025. 

Finally, the company announced a pause in production at its Glenglassaugh Distillery in Scotland. This actually affects two of Brown-Forman’s Scottish distilleries. Moving forward, Glenglassaugh and Benriach will share staff, with one of the two distilleries being still while the other operates. The net effect is that production at both will be significantly reduced. 

The downturn in whisky sales worldwide after the COVID glut is the most probable cause for these decisions. What is concerning is that all these measures were announced before the trade war between the US and Europe, which could exacerbate the situation moving forward. But before I become even more of a Debbie Downer, let’s get back to the whisky and talk about the origin of the Old Forester 1920 in today’s review.

The Whisky Row series

Old Forester’s offers a broad range of whiskies, from its affordable 86 proof to the much sought-after Birthday Bourbon, which goes for absurd prices on the secondary market. The 1920 is part of the Whisky Row Series. This is a collection of bourbons which pays homage to key moments in the brand’s long history, offering different styles and flavor profiles. 

The series includes four releases: 1870 Original Batch, which replicates the brand’s early blending practices; 1897 Bottled in Bond; 1910 Old Fine Whisky, a double-barreled bourbon; 1920 Prohibition Style, a high-proof expression; and the newest addition, the 1924, a 10-year-old yearly release.

The Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style I am about to review is one of the boldest expressions in the Whisky Row Series. The 1920 Prohibition Style comes at 115 proof (57.5% ABV). It is designed to mimic the robust character of whiskey produced in the 1920s, when distillers often barrelled and bottled at higher strengths due to government regulations and limited supply. 

Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky

Tasting Notes

Colour: A warm chestnut with russet highlights.

Nose: The nose is bold, woody, sweet, spicy and creamy. The spiciness is extremely noticeable, especially when compared side by side with other bourbons in my collection. The higher Rye proportion in the mashbill is probably what’s behind that. I smell freshly chopped wood, cherry cola, and vanilla custard chouxs at first. Then, pancakes with maple syrup and toasted nuts, a big hit of cinnamon, some vanilla and nutmeg, and some dill. In the background, there is just a whiff of acetone, then apples and even some fresh floral roses.

With some water, the nosse gets sweeter and frutier. I get cherry pie, syrup glazed cinnamon buns and aniseed.

Taste and finish: This has a lovely, rich mouthfeel. Given the ABV it is not surprising that it is slightly hot. On the palate, it is as sweet and spicy as it is on the nose, but with more of a baked or toasted note. I am immediately hit by a mix of cherry boiled sweets and hot cinnamon candy. There is some nutmeg and a flaky, buttery pastry note and even some rich milk chocolate. The finish is very long and intense, woody and spicy.

With water, it loses some complexity turning into even more of a cherry cinnamon spice bomb

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Interested in my take on a specific whisky style? Check the full Journey here and jump to the relevant Chapter.

After writing my tasting notes, I always find it interesting to look at other opinions. Here are a few reviews of Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style  enjoyed:

Malt Review

ADHD Whiskey

Dramface

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