Previous Forester‘s effusive 117 Sequence — named after the distillery’s former deal with at 117 W. Fundamental St. in Louisville — is again with its newest expression, that includes a rum cask end.
There’s a sure serendipity with this launch due to new Previous Forester Assistant Grasp Distiller Caleb Trigo, who I met in New Orleans at Tales of the Cocktail. Trigo previously labored at Diplomatico, so he’s been immersed within the rum world much more deeply than your typical bourbon distiller.
This expression is 4 years outdated, with a six month end in (unspecified) rum barrels.
Followers of Previous Forester’s sometimes wood-forward, brooding model will likely be in for nothing wanting a shock with this launch, maybe the softest expression of OldFo I’ve encountered so far. The enduring, gritty aroma of a typical Previous Forester launch is absent right here, tempered by aromas of brown sugar and a transparent punch of molasses. It’s nonetheless amply beefy and a bit on the younger aspect, however simply from nosing it there’s no mistaking the impression the rum barrel has had on the whiskey.
The palate continues that thread, providing a candy and raisiny expertise with extra clear rum affect. Notes of brown butter, apple crumble, and vanilla all thread the needle between the worlds of whiskey and rum, but it surely’s the rising flavors of cinnamon and cloves that finally transport you to the islands. Vanilla comes on strongest on the end, with a wholesome gingerbread character backing it up — although that barely rustic, gritty, leathery high quality that just about each Previous Forester launch has makes a tenacious return because the expertise fades out.
Find it irresistible or hate it, it’s wholly distinctive for the model.
93 proof.
A- / $60 (375ml) / oldforester.com
Previous Forester The 117 Sequence – Rum End
$60
