212 barrels drawn from the third floor of Warehouse B, the oldest warehouse at the Brown-Forman Distillery in Shively, went into the production of Old Forester’s 2026 Birthday Bourbon. With Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris and Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo behind the scenes, it’s an 11 year old expression that, as always, helps us to commemorate the beginning of whiskey season, a time marked by the year’s most prized whiskey drops, which will stretch from now until the end of the year.
We were fortunate to score a sample of this year’s offering to put it to the test.
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2026 Edition Review
Of all the big annual whiskey releases, Old Fo’s Birthday Bourbon is the one that can be the most hit-and-miss, but this year the distillery has produced a real — if slightly unorthodox — delight.
The nose tells the story in broad strokes: A curious coconut note starts things off, followed by a heavily toasted bread quality. Baking spice is present, but quite muted, ceding time for ample brown butter to appear, a natural complement that turns a bit scorched as it develops in glass. By the end, barrel char becomes dominant, though the more exotic elements maintain some influence — particularly that coconut, along with a bit of brown banana.
The palate is sweet and creamy, those banana notes becoming a bit riper and brighter on the tongue, the coconut evocative of a chocolate-coconut cream pie. A lively cherry note comes into focus after the initial rush of flavor fades, making for a surprisingly satisfying counterpoint to the increasingly wood-forward nose. The combined sweet-and-savory quality never feels standard-issue, and it gives the whiskey a ton of depth, almost lip-smackingly inviting, particularly at a wholly approachable 97 proof.
There’s a reprise of wood and some black pepper, then dried mint, on the modest but satisfying finish. It’s quite a little ride, quirky and unconventional in its own way, but a special installment in a long-running series that deserves to be discovered. So, what are you waiting for?
97 proof.
A / $200 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
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