Updated October 2026
Brown-Forman makes Old Forester. The Louisville, Kentucky company has produced Old Forester since George Garvin Brown first bottled it in 1870, making it Brown-Forman’s founding brand. It is distilled at Brown-Forman’s distillery in Shively, Kentucky, and at the Old Forester Distilling Co. on Louisville’s historic Whiskey Row. Brown-Forman also owns Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve, and the Brown family’s descendants still help run the company.
Here is the history behind the brand, the current lineup and its proofs, and how Old Forester fits into Brown-Forman’s family of whiskeys.
Old Forester at a Glance
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| Maker | Brown-Forman Corporation |
| Founded | 1870, by George Garvin Brown |
| Where it’s made | Shively, Kentucky, and Old Forester Distilling Co. on Whiskey Row, Louisville |
| Category | Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey |
| Famous first | The first bourbon sold exclusively in sealed bottles |
| Sister brands | Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve |
The History of Old Forester
In 1870, George Garvin Brown, a former pharmaceutical salesman, began selling bourbon in Louisville. At the time, whiskey was usually sold by the barrel, and merchants often diluted or adulterated it. Brown’s answer was to sell Old Forester only in sealed glass bottles, guaranteeing that the whiskey inside had not been tampered with. It became the first bourbon sold exclusively in sealed bottles.
Old Forester also survived Prohibition. From 1920 to 1933, Brown-Forman held one of only six federal licenses that allowed lawful production of whiskey for medicinal use, so the brand kept being made and sold by prescription. That unbroken run before, during and after Prohibition remains central to how Brown-Forman presents the brand today.
Today the brand runs a working distillery downtown on Louisville’s Whiskey Row, in a building Old Forester used from 1882 to 1919, alongside Brown-Forman’s larger production distillery in Shively.
The Old Forester Lineup
| Bottle | Proof (ABV) | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Old Forester 86 Proof | 86 (43%) | The classic everyday bourbon |
| Old Forester 100 Proof (Signature) | 100 (50%) | Bolder, higher-proof version of the core bourbon |
| 1870 Original Batch | 90 (45%) | Whiskey Row Series tribute to the first batch |
| 1897 Bottled in Bond | 100 (50%) | Honors the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 |
| 1910 Old Fine Whisky | 93 (46.5%) | Double barreled, aged a second time in a new charred barrel |
| 1920 Prohibition Style | 115 (57.5%) | High-proof tribute to Prohibition-era medicinal whiskey |
| Statesman | 95 (47.5%) | Premium small-batch release |
| Birthday Bourbon | Varies by release | Annual limited release honoring George Garvin Brown’s birthday |
| Single Barrel | Varies | Bottled from one individual barrel |
Proofs come from Brown-Forman’s product information and can change between releases, so always check the label. For tasting notes and rankings, see what is the best Old Forester bourbon, our Old Forester 86 Proof review, our guide to Old Forester Single Barrel, Old Forester Statesman and the Old Forester Birthday Bourbon.
What “Bottled in Bond” Means on the 1897
“100 proof” alone does not make a whiskey bottled in bond. The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 created a set of requirements now found in 27 CFR § 5.88. A bonded whiskey must be:
- The product of one distillery,
- Distilled in one distilling season by one distiller,
- Aged at least four years in a federally bonded warehouse,
- Bottled at exactly 100 proof, and
- Labeled with the distillery where it was made and, if different, where it was bottled.
Old Forester 1897 meets those rules. The 100 Proof Signature bottle shares the strength but is not labeled bottled in bond. Read more in what is bottled-in-bond bourbon.
Brown-Forman’s Other Whiskeys
Old Forester is the oldest brand in a large portfolio. Brown-Forman also owns Jack Daniel’s, the Tennessee whiskey made in Lynchburg, and Woodford Reserve, the premium Kentucky bourbon made in Versailles, Kentucky. Despite sharing a parent company, each brand runs its own distillery and recipe. For how Old Forester stacks up against another major Kentucky name, see our Buffalo Trace lineup guide, and for the Tennessee side of the family, read Jameson vs Jack Daniel’s.
How to Drink Old Forester
- Old Forester 86: mixes well in highballs and an Old Fashioned.
- Old Forester 100 and 1897: stand up in a Manhattan or a Whiskey Sour without getting lost.
- 1910 and Statesman: worth sipping neat or with a large ice cube.
- 1920: at 115 proof, add a few drops of water to open it up.
Strength and Standard Drinks
A US standard drink contains 14 grams of alcohol, equal to 1.5 ounces of an 80-proof spirit. Old Forester is stronger than 80 proof, so a 1.5-ounce pour of the 86 Proof equals about 1.08 standard drinks, the 100 Proof about 1.25, and the 1920 about 1.44. A 750 mL bottle of the 86 Proof holds about 18 standard drinks. For more on serving math, see how much whiskey it takes to feel the effects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Old Forester owned by Jack Daniel’s?
No. Both are owned by Brown-Forman, but Old Forester is the older brand and Brown-Forman’s founding bourbon.
Where is Old Forester distilled?
At Brown-Forman’s distillery in Shively, Kentucky, and at Old Forester Distilling Co. on Whiskey Row in downtown Louisville.
Is Old Forester a good bourbon?
It is widely respected for its quality and value, especially the 86 Proof, 100 Proof and the Whiskey Row Series.
Was Old Forester made during Prohibition?
Yes. Brown-Forman held one of six licenses to produce whiskey for medicinal use during Prohibition.
More in our Bourbon Guide.
Sources
- Old Forester: 1870 founding by George Garvin Brown, first bourbon sold exclusively in sealed bottles, Prohibition medicinal license, Shively and Whiskey Row production, lineup and proofs (Brown-Forman product information; reference summaries).
- 27 CFR § 5.88, Bottled in bond (eCFR, current).
- 27 CFR § 5.143, Whisky: bourbon and straight whisky standards (eCFR, current).
- NIAAA: definition of a US standard drink (14 grams of pure alcohol).