In 1870 George Garvin Brown created Old Forester on Louisville, KY's, famous Whiskey Row. In honor of that milestone year in bourbon history, we have crafted a tribute- Old Forester 1870 Original Batch- the first expression in the Old Forester Whiskey Row series. 1870 Original Batch echoes George Garvin Brown's original batching process. Back then, Brown batched barrels obtained from three distilleries to create a consistent flavor profile. To emulate that process today, we also select barrels from three warehouses, each barrel originating from a different day of production, with a different entry proof and a different age profile. The three expressions of Old Forester are then batched together and minimally filtered to craft Old Forester 1870 Original Batch.

It's everything you love about Maker's Mark with a whole lot more to love. Our founder himself, Bill Samuels, Sr., was the first fan of this high proof bourbon. Bill liked to tuck a little 101 aside for friends and special occasions. And for a long time, this was the only way you could experience these intensified notes of caramel and spice brought on by the higher proof- yet matched with that familiar Maker's Mark smoothness. Now- at special times during the year- this limited release is available for you to share with guests of your own. Learn about how the whisky at the core of Maker's Mark 101 is brought to life below.