Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style Whisky

Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style is a 115-proof tribute to the year the Volstead Act was passed — when Old Forester was one of only six Kentucky distilleries licensed to continue bottling bourbon for medicinal purposes, making it the only bourbon continuously sold by the same company before, during, and after Prohibition, and the only one that never had to rebuild its brand from scratch.

The Whiskey Row Series — 1870, 1897, 1910, 1920 — represents four pivotal moments in Old Forester's history. The 1920 expression mirrors the bourbon the distillery actually produced under Prohibition's medicinal permit: high proof, bold, and without the dilutions or compromises that the post-Prohibition market eventually normalized. At 115 proof, the angel's share during maturation concentrates the flavor profile into the rich, complex character that the historical expression would have had. The higher proof means more caramel, more oak, more spice — and a bourbon that stands up to ice and mixing without losing its identity.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Bold caramel, toasted oak, and dark fruit from the 115-proof concentration
• Palate: Rich and complex — caramel, vanilla, and dark spice with the depth that high-proof Whiskey Row production delivers
• Finish: Long and warming — the 115-proof presence sustaining throughout

Specs

• Distillery: Brown-Forman, Louisville's Whiskey Row, Kentucky
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Series: Whiskey Row Series
• ABV: 57.5% (115 Proof)
• Size: 750ml

Browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

What made Old Forester unique during Prohibition?

The Volstead Act of 1920 closed nearly all American distilleries — but allowed six Kentucky distilleries to continue bottling bourbon for medicinal purposes. Old Forester was one of them. The medicinal permit allowed continuous operation while competitors shut down entirely, making Old Forester the only bourbon never interrupted by Prohibition and the only one continuously sold by its founding family from 1870 through Prohibition and to the present day.