Charred oak | Pipe tobacco | Caramel sauce | Brown sugar | Baking spices | Fresh cut apple | Elderflower tea

Baking spices | Rye grain | Tobacco leaf | Faint brown sugar | Faint dried spiced apple | Thin mouthfeel

Leather | Dry charred oak | Rye spice | Dash of baking spices | Short

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is an annual limited release that celebrates the birthday of company founder George Garvin Brown, which was September 2, 1846. He founded the company at the age of 24 in 1870. The 2025 release of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon marks the 25th edition of the series. For this release, the barrels all came from one day’s production (April 5, 2013) and were selected by Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris and Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Birthday Bourbon, Old Forester used no “setback” during fermentation, a deviation from standard practice, which means that “instead, a ‘sweet mash’ process was used, relying solely on freshly-propagated yeast.”

The first thing many people will notice about this year’s Birthday Bourbon release is its proof. Coming in at 92 proof, this is the second-lowest proof Old Forester Birthday Bourbon since 2003’s 89 proof. While Birthday Bourbons used to be priced at $40 or less in the 2000s, fast forward to the present day, and being priced at $200 will be a hard pill to swallow, especially as overall quality tends to vary significantly from release to release. And while employing a sweet mash process for the 25th anniversary of the line is unique, it certainly reveals its limitations during the sip as well.

The nose is incredibly aromatic, delivering scents that will suck you in thanks to darker flavors like charred oak and pipe tobacco, along with kitchen-like scents thanks to brown sugar, baking spices, and elderflower tea. The midpoint pivots and shows the limitations of the bourbon's proof, delivering a thin mouthfeel that highlights notes of baking spices, rye grain, tobacco, and faint sweet notes. Ending on more traditional flavors, the finish is short and wraps things up neatly and quickly. It’s an enjoyable, nuanced sip; however, for the price, fans of Birthday Bourbon will likely expect a bit more than what it delivers.