History in the making

After working as a pharmaceutical salesman, George Garvin Brown, the founder of Old Forester, created the First Bottled Bourbon™ in 1870.

Old Forester was the first distillery to convert its entire production to industrial-grade alcohol for the war efforts. Just two weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbour, Old Forester delivers their first high-proof industrial alcohol to help World War II forces. Today, Old Forester remains the only bourbon continually sold by the same company before, during, and after the Prohibition. This was because the company that owns Old Forester today (Brown-Forman), applied for a license that allowed the production to continue for ‘medicinal’ purposes.

Consistency From The Beginning

To guarantee consistency, George would batch bourbon from three nearby distilleries. He seals his whiskey exclusively in glass bottles and signs each bottle as his personal guarantee of its quality. Consistency has been and will continue to be a fundamental aspect of Old Forester's whiskey.

Today

Old Forester Distilling Co. has returned home to the same building that the brand called home from 1882 – 1919 and is produced under the supervision of Master Distiller Chris Morris. The brand is known all over the world as a key player in the spirit industry for having consistently produced excellent whiskey, winning it many awards in the process. Old Forester distillery is the only downtown distillery that houses an active cooperage, charring barrels in the same facility where spirits are being aged.