Review: Trust Us, You'll Want To Grab Old Forester's 2025 Birthday Bourbon While You Can

Everyone wants to do something extra special for their birthday, and iconic whiskey brands are no exception. One legendary distillery that knows how to turn things up for a birthday is Old Forester. Founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown, its longevity is a testament to the outstanding whiskey it produces. In fact, Old Forester 100 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has a cult following amongst bartenders and whiskey aficionados alike because it's an inexpensive bourbon that tastes way more expensive than it is. Every year the distillery celebrates its founder's birthday by releasing a limited-edition vintage-dated bottle on September 2 — and it's finally that time of the year again.

The 2025 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is far from cheap, but those in the know are willing to jump through a few hoops for a taste of the anticipated release. It's not that easy to get your hands on a bottle, either. This time around, it may even be more challenging because, unlike Old Forester Birthday Bourbons of years past, it was made using a sweet mash process. As a result, it brings Old Forester fans something totally unexpected and new — and oh man, did it pay off in the flavor profile. Intrigued? I sure was, and luckily, I got a sneak peek. Is it worth the elevated price tag and the laborious task of acquiring a bottle, though? 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

I'll give it to you straight: A bottle of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2025 is going to cost you quite a bit. At the distillery, a bottle will cost $199.99, and at the select retailers that get the privilege of carrying it, it may cost even more. Back to the distillery, though — if you're lucky enough to be invited to purchase a bottle there, it must be done with a credit card, and there's a limit of one per customer. If the high price doesn't scare you off straight away (and it's actually not that bad considering how coveted and rare the bottles are), snagging a bottle will still be the tricky part.

About 1000 bottles of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2025 will be available at the distillery. However, you can't simply stop by and buy one. You have to enter a sweepstakes on the company's website between August 18 and August 21, 2025. Then, on or around September 2, the winners will be drawn and notified. If you are able to count yourself among the winners, you'll still have to purchase and pick up your bottle at the Old Forester Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky, sometime between September 4, 2025 and December 20, 2025.

As mentioned, a limited quantity of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2025 will also be available at select retailers across the country. But as of now, your guess is as good as mine as to which stores will earn the pleasure of stocking a few bottles.

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2025 was drawn from 210 rare barrels produced in a single day at the distillery — April 5, 2013. While not quite a single-barrel bourbon, it's pretty close, and that explains the elevated price. The bourbon was aged for 12 years — and for all you whiskey nerds out there, it resided in Warehouse K of the distillery on Floors 1 and 5 during that time. The severely limited quantity is just one reason this year's drop is so anticipated.

Selected by Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris and Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2025 offers drinkers something a bit out of the ordinary for the brand. As opposed to previous Old Forester Birthday Bourbons, the 2025 batch did not use a setback during fermentation. Instead, it is made with freshly propagated yeast, aka a sweet mash process. This resulted in a 92 proof bourbon with a full character yeast expression and a silky, sweet flavor profile unlike anything the distillery has produced or sold before. Not a bad way to celebrate the founder's birthday.

When I poured myself a glass of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2025, the first thing I noticed was its rich, honeycomb color. After admiring its outfit, I went in for a few sniffs. While it gave me a slight burn in my nose, its sweetness instantly took over, effortlessly cutting through any harshness. It smelled like sweet caramel or toffee with hints of vanilla. I also detected a subtle oakiness, but that was far from front and center.

Moving on to the flavor profile (which, let's face it, is what we really care about), a single taste and I knew this was a premium quality bourbon. Similar to the nose, it was sweet but layered with complexity. I tasted burnt sugar with a touch of grass, followed by a bright, citrus finish. Another taste, and I also picked up on a spicy clove flavor reminiscent of chai. My favorite part, though, was its velvety mouthfeel. It's what sold me on the premium quality because, despite their best efforts, lower-quality bourbons simply can't achieve that level of smoothness. I'm not saying I didn't get a burn along with the rich flavors — I did. But the burn was bright, and it lingered on the tip of my tongue in a playful way, leaving a slight tingle. Even with that, each sip was smooth like honey, and I must say, downright delicious.

The flavor and velvety mouthfeel of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2025 will give drinkers a lot of bang for their buck. It's deliciously spicy, sweet, and playful. It's not lacking in the complexity department, either. While it is darn near perfect as-is, a small ice cube also opens up the flavors and smooths out any harshness in spectacular fashion. Don't get it twisted, though: Ice is by no means necessary.

Okay, so you know I loved Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2025, but would I cross several state lines to drive or fly to Louisville and pick up a bottle? No. I'm not a whiskey connoisseur, though, and spending $200 on a bottle isn't something I'm inclined to do. That said, I could see why die-hard Old Forester fans or folks who seek out rare, vintage bottles would do so. This is the definition of rare and vintage, and if that's what you're after, you won't be let down. No cake or candles necessary for this birthday celebration.