🥃🥃 Tasting Notes
Appearance:
Deep dark brown sugar with polished amber and mahogany highlights, displaying the concentration expected from 11 years of Kentucky maturation.
Aroma:
Rich and inviting with classic baking spice and zesty ginger leading into sweet vanilla bean and honey. Malted graham cracker provides a toasted cereal character while bright cherry adds a distinctly fruity Old Forester dimension.
Palate:
Sweet, layered, and beautifully mature:
Warm honey provides an immediate wave of sweetness
Rich buttery caramel creates a luxurious texture
Bright cherry adds concentrated fruit character
Vanilla bean contributes classic bourbon sweetness
Ginger introduces lively spice
Graham cracker adds toasted malt character
Baking spices provide warmth and complexity
Bold tobacco brings mature depth
Herbal notes provide contrast to the sweeter flavors
Seasoned oak reflects the bourbon's 11-year maturation
97 Proof provides excellent structure without overwhelming the palate
The balance of fruit, caramel, tobacco, spice, and oak creates a distinctly mature Old Forester profile
Finish:
Long and warming with toasted oak, graham cracker, lingering herbal mint, caramel, cherry, and gentle baking spice. The sweetness gradually fades toward seasoned oak and refreshing herbal notes, providing an elegant conclusion to the 11-year-old bourbon.
The Old Forester 2026 Birthday Bourbon combines an 11-year age statement, 212-barrel selection, Warehouse B maturation, 97 Proof bottling strength, and an unusual 124.4-proof barrel-entry story to create a vintage with a personality entirely its own.
For collectors of Old Forester, Birthday Bourbon, limited Kentucky bourbon, and vintage-dated annual whiskey releases, the 2026 edition represents another important chapter in one of America's most collectible ongoing bourbon series.
Description
Old Forester 2026 Birthday Bourbon (750mL) — 11 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon | 97 Proof | 2026 Limited Edition
Celebrate one of the most anticipated annual releases in American whiskey with Old Forester 2026 Birthday Bourbon, an exceptionally limited 11 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey created in honor of Old Forester founder George Garvin Brown.
Birthday Bourbon has become one of Old Forester's signature collector releases, with each annual edition offering a unique snapshot of specially selected barrels. Rather than attempting to make the same whiskey year after year, Old Forester allows differences in maturation, warehouse location, age, and proof to give every vintage its own identity.
For the 2026 Birthday Bourbon, Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris and Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo selected 212 barrels matured for 11 years on the third floor of Warehouse B, the oldest warehouse at the Brown-Forman Distillery in Shively, Kentucky.
An unusual production circumstance makes the 2026 release particularly interesting. Before barreling, the newly distilled whiskey remained in the cistern room for approximately six days due to a holiday weekend. During that extended holding period, tank venting caused its proof to fall slightly, resulting in a reported 124.4-proof barrel entry instead of the typical 125 proof.
After 11 years of Kentucky maturation, the resulting bourbon was bottled at 97 Proof (48.5% ABV), revealing a distinctly sweet and fruit-forward expression filled with baking spice, ginger, vanilla bean, honey, graham cracker, cherry, buttery caramel, tobacco, toasted oak, and lingering herbal mint.
🥃 Product Details
Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Producer: Old Forester
Parent Company: Brown-Forman
Edition: 2026 Birthday Bourbon
Release Year: 2026
Country: United States
State: Kentucky
Bottle Size: 750mL
Age: 11 Years
Proof: 97 Proof
ABV: 48.5%
Barrels Selected: 212
Warehouse: Warehouse B
Warehouse Floor: Third Floor
Warehouse Distinction: Oldest Warehouse at Brown-Forman's Shively Distillery
Barrel Entry Proof: Approximately 124.4 Proof
Barrels: New Charred American Oak
Selected By: Chris Morris & Caleb Trigo
Release: Highly Limited Annual Edition
Original Suggested Retail Price: $199.99
Character: Ginger, Vanilla Bean, Honey, Graham Cracker, Cherry, Buttery Caramel, Tobacco, Toasted Oak & Herbal Mint
🥃 The Birthday Bourbon Story
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon was created to commemorate the birthday of George Garvin Brown, founder of Old Forester and Brown-Forman.
Brown founded Old Forester in 1870, establishing a whiskey brand that would become an enduring part of American bourbon history.
Birthday Bourbon transforms that history into an annual collector release. Each edition represents a particular group of barrels selected for its distinctive character, meaning the age, proof, barrel count, warehouse location, and flavor profile can change from one vintage to the next.
That annual variation has made Birthday Bourbon particularly appealing to collectors. A bottle of 2026 Birthday Bourbon isn't simply another bottling of the same whiskey—it represents the specific maturation conditions and barrel selection chosen for the 2026 vintage.
🥃 What Makes the 2026 Release Special
The 2026 edition carries several details that distinguish it within the Birthday Bourbon series:
- Aged for 11 years
- Bottled at 97 Proof
- Composed of 212 selected barrels
- All barrels matured on the third floor of Warehouse B
- Warehouse B is the oldest warehouse at Brown-Forman's Shively distillery
- Selected by Chris Morris and Caleb Trigo
- Unusual six-day cistern-room holding period before barreling
- Entered barrels at approximately 124.4 Proof
- Sweet and fruit-forward flavor profile
- Highly limited annual release
- Released in celebration of George Garvin Brown's birthday
🍽️ How to Enjoy
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is ideally suited to slow sipping:
- Enjoy neat at room temperature
- Serve in a Glencairn or premium bourbon glass
- Allow 10–15 minutes for the bourbon to open
- Take the first sip neat before adding water
- Add several drops of water to explore additional fruit and sweetness
- Try alongside previous Birthday Bourbon vintages
- Pair with dark chocolate
- Excellent with toasted pecans or walnuts
- Pair with smoked meats or grilled steak
- Enjoy alongside aged cheddar or Gouda
- Pair with cherry or caramel desserts
- Excellent with pecan pie or crème brûlée
- Ideal as a celebratory after-dinner pour
⭐ Why You'll Love It
- Official 2026 Birthday Bourbon release
- One of Old Forester's most anticipated annual releases
- 11-year age statement
- Bottled at 97 Proof
- Selected from only 212 barrels
- Matured entirely on Warehouse B's third floor
- Warehouse B is the oldest warehouse at Brown-Forman's Shively facility
- Personally selected by Chris Morris and Caleb Trigo
- Unique 124.4-proof barrel-entry story
- Sweet and fruit-forward 2026 profile
- Rich Old Forester cherry character
- Honey and buttery caramel provide luxurious sweetness
- Tobacco adds mature depth
- Ginger and baking spice create complexity
- Toasted oak reflects 11 years of maturation
- Herbal mint provides freshness on the finish
- Vintage-specific annual release
- Extremely allocated
- Highly desirable for Old Forester collectors
- Excellent addition to a vertical collection of Birthday Bourbon vintages
Do you ship to all states?
- We do NOT currently ship to the following states: Massachusetts (MA), Michigan (MI), Mississippi (MS), South Carolina (SC), Tennessee (TN), Montana (MT), Alabama (AL), Arkansas (AR) and Utah (UT). Please check your state’s laws before placing an order.
Do you ship on weekends or holidays?
- Orders placed on Saturday, Sunday, or holidays will be processed starting the following Monday.
Do you offer expedited shipping?
- Yes, expedited shipping options are available at checkout for faster delivery.
Can I have my order shipped to a P.O. Box or APO/FPO address?
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Yes, a signature is required for all alcohol deliveries to verify that the recipient is of legal drinking age.
Since alcohol deliveries require an adult signature, we recommend shipping to a business address to ensure the package is received without delays.
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