Old Forester tells BourbonBlog.com they have unveiled the 2025 edition of its highly anticipated Birthday Bourbon—featuring the series’ first-ever sweet mash—with bottles available via an online sweepstakes and in limited quantities at select retailers. Keep reading for entry details, retail info, and what makes this 25th-anniversary release stand out.
By the way, if you really want to geek out, take a look back on all 25 Old Forester Birthday Bourbon releases with us at the bottom of this post — complete with details on every release since 2002 and a few photos too.
Master Taster Melissa Rift tells BourbonBlog.com, “There’s no better way to honor our founder than by sharing this rare and remarkable expression with bourbon lovers nationwide.”
Old Forester’s Birthday Bourbon is released each year on September 2 to honor founder George Garvin Brown (pictured below).
The distillery notes that it will not be sold at the distillery on that date.
QUESTION: Have you tried Old Forester’s Birthday Bourbons before—or do you have a favorite Old Forester release? Tell us below under comments.
A Milestone in Mash
The 2025 release marks the first time Old Forester has used a sweet mash process for a Birthday Bourbon.
This year’s vintage is 12 years old and bottled at 92 proof. Unlike past editions that relied on the traditional “setback” method of sour mash—where a portion of a previous fermentation is added to stabilize the next—this batch was made entirely with a sweet mash, using only fresh grains and newly propagated yeast. That shift allows the yeast to fully influence the spirit, producing brighter, more layered flavors.
Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo tells BourbonBlog.com, “For our 25th Birthday Bourbon release, the absence of setback allowed the yeast to express its full character, creating a flavor profile that’s both delicate and complex.”
Warehouse K—and how this lot was built
This vintage was distilled on April 5, 2013, selected by Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris and Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo, and drawn from 210 barrels matured in Warehouse K, Floors 1 and 5 in Louisville.
That mix of levels is known for airflow and temperature variation, contributing to a balanced, nuanced profile.
The Flavor Profile
Old Forester tells BourbonBlog.com their tastings notes:
- Color: Honeycomb
- Aroma: Herbal tea and cardamom, with tropical fruits, green apple, and hints of raw oak
- Palate: Silky notes of oak and vanilla, balanced by sweet citrus and clove spice
- Finish: Candied apple and burnt sugar, with leather and chai spice
How to get a bottle?
- Sweepstakes: Enter at OldForester.com from August 18–21, 2025. Winners must purchase and pick up at the Old Forester Distillery in Louisville between September 4 and December 20, 2025 (limit one; credit card only). Full details on this link: http://www.oldforester.com/birthday-bourbon-sweepstakes/
- Retail: In addition to the sweepstakes, limited allocations will be available at select retailers nationwide.
- MSRP: $199.99 per 750mL.
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon: A Look Back
Since 2002, Old Forester’s vintage-dated Birthday Bourbon has been a must-watch annual drop. Not every release is 12-year (notable exceptions include 2004 at 8 years and several 11- and 13-year vintages), and 2003 featured two separate bottlings. We’re also showcasing a few of the different bottle designs through the years.
Collectors have pushed values to remarkable levels — with the 2006 release fetching over $3,000 and the original 2002 release selling for as much as $6,000.
Join us for a look back at all 25 releases below:
| Year | Age | Proof | Notable details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | 92 | First sweet mash in the series; 210 barrels (filled 4/5/2013); Warehouse K (Floors 1 & 5); national sweepstakes + limited retail. |
| 2024 | 12 | 107 | Highest proof to date; national sweepstakes + limited retail. |
| 2023 | 12 | 96 | ~103 barrels; Warehouse I (5th floor); national sweepstakes + limited retail. |
| 2022 | 11 | 96 | Return to 96 proof; online sweepstakes introduced; limited retail. |
| 2021 | 12 | 104 | 119 barrels (barreled 4/16/2009). |
| 2020 | 10 | 98 | 95 barrels (barreled 6/5/2010); youngest since 2004. |
| 2019 | 11 | 105 | Then-highest proof; 120 barrels (distilled 5/15/2008), Warehouse I (2nd floor). |
| 2018 | 12 | 101 | 120 barrels: 93 from Warehouse J (3rd NW), 27 from Warehouse I (3rd NW); first bottled at Whiskey Row distillery. |
| 2017 | 12 | 95.4 / 96 | Dual proofs by market (95.4 FL/GA; 96 elsewhere) due to proof loss. |
| 2016 | 12 | 97 | Warehouse K influence; classic profile year. |
| 2015 | 12 | 100 | First triple-digit-proof OFBB. |
| 2014 | 12 | 97 | Middle-floor blend; spice-forward profile. |
| 2013 | 12 | 98 | Warehouse I emphasis. |
| 2012 | 12 | 97 | Adjusted mash with more malted barley; nutty accent noted. |
| 2011 | 12 | 98 | Warehouses H (1st) & I (6th). |
| 2010 | 12 | 95 | Warehouse K (5th). |
| 2009 | 12 | 97 | Warehouses B (5th) & J (8th). |
| 2008 | 12 | 94 | Warehouse H (6th). |
| 2007 | 12 | 94 | Classic caramel/vanilla-leaning vintage. |
| 2006 | 13 | 96 | One of the oldest OFBBs. |
| 2005 | 12 | 96 | Warehouse H (7th). |
| 2004 | 8 | 94 | Youngest OFBB; Warehouse L; union crew selected the lot. |
| 2003 (Fall) | 13 | 89 | Lowest-proof OFBB; darker oak-toned profile. |
| 2003 (Spring) | 12 | 93 | Heat-cycled, sun-exposed placements noted. |
| 2002 | 13 | 95 | First release; distilled 1989, bottled 2002. |
The post Old Forester 2025 Birthday Bourbon: First Sweet Mash in the Series and How to Enter the Sweepstakes first appeared on BourbonBlog.
