Old Forester holds the distinction of being the first bourbon ever bottled (since 1870), and its the only whiskey continuously available before, during, and after Prohibition.

The 1920 “Prohibition Style” honors the era when, under the Volstead Act, Old Forester was one of only six distilleries permitted to produce medicinal whiskey. It commemorates the authenticity of that period: originally bottled at 100 proof, and today represented at 115 proof (57.5% ABV), emulating the higher proof resulting from angels share evaporation.

Mash Bill & Proof

• Crafted from Old Forester’s classic mash bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley.

• Bottled at a bold 115 proof to reflect traditional barrel entry and aging profiles.

Aroma

• Intense aromas of cherry preserves, dark chocolate, rich caramel, thick maple syrup, and seasoned oak spices.

• Additional notes: vanilla custard, cherry cordial, toffee, coffee beans, and Swiss-roll sweetness .

Palate

• Rich and multilayered: dark caramel coats the palate, complemented by malted nuttiness and graham-cracker sweetness, underpinned by warm green peppercorn, black pepper, coriander, and a touch of cedar .

• Secondary flavors include stewed apples, ripe pears, cinnamon, nutmeg, and earthy coffee/chocolate tones .

Finish

• A long, smoky-sweet finish led by tart apple crispness and toasted marshmallow, fading into dark chocolate, tobacco, tobacco leaf, and lingering oak char

Style & Accolades

• A bold high-proof bourbon praised for its depth and balanced richness; often compared to stouts for its dark-fruit, chocolate, and barrel char notes

• Community reviews (e.g., Dramface): warm, silky, and approachable despite 57.5% ABV, earning time-travelling dram acclaim

• Total Wine deems it one of the best higher proof bourbons around and a great value

Best Enjoyed

• Ideal neat or with a splash of water. Also shines in cocktails like a 1920 Highball (bourbon, Oleo-Saccharum syrup, soda, lemon twist)

• Recommended for fans of robust, dessert-heavy bourbons that balance sweetness, spice, and oak.

Bottom Line

Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style is a bold, historically inspired bourbon that delivers rich layers of dark fruit, caramel, spice, and oak. Its approachable, silky texture belies its high proof, making it a standout in both sipping drams and creative cocktails. Highly regarded for its flavor complexity, access, and solid proof-point value.

57.5% ABV (115 Proof), 750 ml

“Enticing and layered nose of stone fruits, panettone cake, red pepper flake, and maple sugar candy. Brown sugar leads the charge on the palate, with ample body and spice notes bringing up the rear for a complete, complex whiskey that lingers on the tongue.” 93 Points 2017 Ultimate Spirits Challenge

From the Whiskey Wash:

“Brown-Formans latest release for the Whiskey Row Series, which honors Louisvilles famous whiskey complex of the same name, also pays homage to the period when not much whiskey was being made. Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style bourbon (the subject of this review) joins two other previously released expressions in the series, 1897 Bottled in Bond and 1870 Original Batch.

While most distilleries shuttered during Prohibition, Brown-Forman received a federal license to continue making Old Forester for medicinal purposes. So, similar to the previous two releases, 1920 Prohibition Style reflects the style of whiskey that would have been distilled and bottled by Brown-Forman during Prohibition.

To mimic what a barrel proof bourbon would have tasted like during prohibition, 1920 Prohibition Style bourbon is bottled at 115 proof. Why 115 proof? During Prohibition, whiskey was required to be bottled at 100 proof. To keep from adding too much water to the aged whiskey to proof it down to 100 proof, distillers also barreled whiskey around 100 proof. Brown-Forman (and probably master distiller Chris Morris) estimates that, with angels share, an aged bourbon would have been about 115 proof out of the barrel.”