Old Forester Bottled in Bond

[knadeau1003]

My ignorant-self once again turns to BE for its infinite wisdom. I looked around, although not that hard, and could find anything. So what do you know about this stuff guy? Bottle has dimples on each side and the bottled in bond circle is only on the back label.
Thanks

[Bourbon Joe]

This is an older bottling. Good stuff.
Joe

[PaulO]

I see a upc code on the back label, so it can't be any older than late '70s - '80s? I think Old Forester stopped making the BIB version, and replaced it with the 100 proof Signature label several years ago. If you open it tell us how it is. I bet it's good.

[drinkdrankdrunk]

Still see cases upon cases of this on the shelves in Dallas. I've never had a bad bottle and it usually runs around $10 cheaper a bottle than the new Signature 100 proof.

[Rughi]

For me, the key to the great Old Forester is checking to see if it was distilled at DSP 354 (Early Times in Shively or DSP 414 (Louisville). I think 414 is classic, classic bourbon and the 354 is ... good.

Your bottle appears to have the plastic shrink wrap top, which in my experience always indicates 354. For me, a strip stamp or tax stamp over the top is the tell-tale mark of the best Old Forester.

Roger

[drinkdrankdrunk]

I am looking at 2 1986 DSP 414 shrink wrap topped OF BIB's. I also have a 1983 tax stripped. There are some shrink wrapped DSP 414s out there.

I have an '88 with no DSP at all on it.

[Rughi]

I am looking at 2 1986 DSP 414 shrink wrap topped OF BIB's...

I've always wondered about whether there was a crossover period. Just to be sure, these bottles don't indicate 354 AND 414, do they? Because there're a lot of shrink wrapped capsule bottles from '87 on that indicated distilled at 354 and bottled at 414. Those are definitely what I think of as the 354 era.

On another site I posted my understanding of Foresters at some length. Those thoughts may not be quite right, though, in light of your comments.

Roger

PS - Is it bad form to link to my own work at another site? I'd be happy to edit if so.

[gillmang]

I have an 86 proof that may fall into Roger's third category (plastic shrink wrap from late 80's to circa 2000). Base of bottle is stamped 89. It is a 200 ml, the border of label is gold, the background white. It states only" Distilled and Bottled by Old Forester Distilling Company At Louisville in Kentucky". This could I think mean distilled at D.S.P. 414 but perhaps more likely is Early Times distillation at Shively and bottling at Louisville. It is a mild whiskey, well rounded, some grainy notes. There is a background that reminds me of current Forester 86 but overall I would say it is different. Very good, and good value.

Gary

[tmckenzie]

I remember seeing quite a few of those in alabama abc stores. Regardless of what dsp it was made, it should be great stuff. Send it to me so I can sample it to make sure it is safe, but I cannot promise I will return it.

[bourbonv]

It should be realised that when Brown-Forman quit distilling downtown at the headquarters complex, they transfered the still and the DSP number to the Shively distillery, so both DSP numbers can and are used whenever Brown-Forman wish to use them.

[drinkdrankdrunk]

Nope. Mine says bottled and distilled Louisville DSP 414 only.

[bourbonv]

Of course the bottle has only one DSP number because bonded whiskey all has to come from the same distillery, but it could have just as easily have been from 354 if that is the number Brown-Forman wished to use the day they made the whiskey. Both numbers represent the same distillery.

[ggilbertva]

It should be realised that when Brown-Forman quit distilling downtown at the headquarters complex, they transfered the still and the DSP number to the Shively distillery, so both DSP numbers can and are used whenever Brown-Forman wish to use them.

Mike - I looked over the BF timeline but didn't see anything in there of when the move happened. When did that take place?

[bourbonv]

I am not sure but I would say the late 1980s or maybe the early 1990s.

[Rughi]

I am not sure but I would say the late 1980s or maybe the early 1990s.

Well, people in this thread have shown 1988 bottles that are both 414 and 354, so I'm going to guessthe Louisville distillate was finishing up being bottled in 1988 or so.

Mike, we discussed this moving DSP question a couple of years ago on another site, and nobody ever refuted your positon that BF has the right to switch back and forth at will (like I believe old Bernheim did with their two stills, DSP 1 and 2). But also, nobody in that discussion ever came up with an example that BF ever actually has chosen to switch DSPs back and forth.

During the late '80s and '90s they chose to very conspicuously call out the BIB as "Distiller DSP KY 354 Bottler DSP KY 414," so it seems it was important to them to keep their DSPs distinct, not switch back and forth.

I suppose one could phone up Chris Morris and ask him...

Roger