Old Forester Launches Tribute Series With 12 Year Bourbon
Old Forester built its name on the bottle, as the first bourbon sold only in sealed bottles, so it is fitting that its newest release is as much about glass as liquid. The Brown-Forman brand has launched the Tribute Series, a new annual ultra-premium line that opens with a 12-year-old bourbon bottled at 115 proof. The 2026 edition arrives today, October 15, in limited quantities at select U.S. retailers for $299.99.
Did You Know?
Old Forester says it launched its decanter series in 1950, and it released annual holiday decanters between 1954 and 1969.
The Tribute Series is batched from the brand's highest age-stated stock, not picked from a single barrel or single lot.
Future editions will be bottled somewhere between 110 and 125 proof, a range the brand calls "the optimal proof."
The Release
The Tribute Series is a yearly program, and the first chapter is a 12-year-old bourbon at 115 proof (57.5% ABV). Old Forester batches its oldest age-stated stock for the series rather than relying on single-barrel or single-lot selections. Batching means blending many barrels together, which lets the blenders aim for a consistent, deliberate profile each year.
The brand also matures its whisky with a heat-cycling process, which it says shapes flavor over time. This release draws on that stock.
According to Old Forester, the nose offers warm caramel, sweet leather, golden raisins and dark cherries. The palate leads with cherry and candied walnuts, followed by sweet cinnamon and cardamom. The long finish brings toasted oak, peppercorn, cherry preserves and black tea.
The packaging is a big part of the story. The bottle is a collectible inspired by the brand's historic holiday decanters from the mid-20th century. It has an architectural glass shape with vertical facets and metallic accents, topped with a heavy metallic stopper engraved with Old Forester's historic quality statement.
Assistant master distiller Caleb Trigo said the series honors the craftsmanship and innovation that have defined Old Forester for generations, while showing what makes its whisky distinctive today.
The Story of Old Forester
Pharmacist George Garvin Brown founded Old Forester in Louisville in 1870, and it was the first bourbon sold only in sealed bottles. That is the basis for the brand's "America's First Bottled Bourbon" claim. Selling sealed bottles gave drinkers confidence that what was inside had not been watered down or tampered with, which was a real concern at the time.
Brown's company grew into Brown-Forman, which still owns the brand. The group's portfolio also includes Jack Daniel's, Woodford Reserve and Herradura. According to background research, Brown-Forman was one of only a handful of companies licensed to produce whiskey for medicinal purposes during Prohibition.
Old Forester's lineup includes the Whiskey Row Series, which features Old Forester 1910 Old Fine Whisky, the brand's first twice-barreled expression. Twice-barreled means the whisky is matured in one set of barrels, then moved into freshly charred ones for a second stretch.
Why It Stands Out
Aged bourbon at this level often arrives as a single barrel or a one-off event. Old Forester is taking a different route with a recurring, batched release at a defined proof range. The decanter-inspired design also gives the series a visual identity that ties directly to the brand's own history, which should appeal to collectors who care about the shelf as much as the glass.
The Details
Style: Bourbon
Age: 12 years
ABV/Proof: 115 proof (57.5% ABV)
Release Size: Limited quantities
Price (SRP): $299.99
Availability: Select U.S. retailers
Release Date: October 15, 2026
Tonights Poison Take
At $299.99, this is a collector's pour, and the price will draw scrutiny. What is interesting is the structure: a batched 12-year-old with a stated proof window suggests Old Forester wants to showcase blending skill, not just a lucky barrel. The decanter nod gives the line some history, and it will be worth watching how the proof and age shift in future editions.
Bar Talk: Old Forester was the first bourbon sold only in sealed bottles, so it makes sense that its flagship collectible is built around the bottle.
Send this to the bourbon collector who buys the decanter and the whiskey.
Please enjoy responsibly.
Comments