Into the final two rounds we go. Our 100-proof bourbons (plus or minus a point or two) are down to the best four in my collection, and the last few blinds promise to be challenging and delicious. Here are the four contenders:
- Old Forester “Baby Birthday” 102
- Old Forester 1924
- Old Forester 1897
- John J. Bowman Single Barrel
As I write this, I’m enjoying a pour of a true classic – the original Bowman’s Single Barrel. It took me a while to get a bottle of the “holy hand grenade” (in reality, my best friend, Scott, gave me a bottle). And then a couple of weeks later, I found a bottle at MSRP at my local Walmart. If your Walmart has an attached liquor store, I highly recommend staking out their delivery days to see if they get any allocated bottles. Those won’t be sold at Walmart for a marked-up price, and because of that, they’ll fly off the shelves in a couple of hours. Honestly, I’ll never be without a bottle of Blanton’s, but it’s far from my favorite dram. Everything about it is pleasant and tasty, but I don’t understand the clamor about it other than it’s hard to procure. I smell sweet fruit and a hint of vanilla, but I taste sweet, grape soda up front, followed by the classic notes of caramel and vanilla. The mouthfeel is very solid, and the flavors linger for a significant time after the bourbon is swallowed. If you love grape Fanta, this is your bourbon. I’ll never shy away from a pour, but I might not seek one out, either.
Fourth Round – Final Four
John J. Bowman Single Barrel 78, Old Forester “Baby Birthday” 102 75. The biggest upset of the bracket comes in the Final Four as the Bowman rises up and smacks down (what I thought was) my favorite bourbon thus far. The “Baby Birthday” is still a delicious and decadent treat, filled with all of the flavors from a classic icze cream parlor. Slice the bananas, add some whipped cream, swirl on some chocolate syrup and drop a cherry on top. Distill that into a class and you have the “Baby Birthday 102.” But as I said in my last post, the Bowman Single Barrel is climbing my charts, and in this blind, it climbed straight to the top. The fruity flavors must be getting better as the bottle gets lower, and the caramel syrup lingers in the mouth well after the sip is gone. On another day, I might choose my “Birthday” favorite, but on this day, the Bowman slips into the final.
Old Forester 1924 77, Old Forester 1897 74. The battle of the Old Forester top-shelf 100-proof bourbons. The 1897 is a worthy addition to the shelf, and it has the deep, rich color and the classic aromas and flavors you’ve come to expect from Old Forester products. The nose is rich with vanilla and caramel, and those carry into the palate, but there’s also a touch of ethanol that downgrades the flavor ever so slightly. As for the opponent, you won’t find the 1924 in your local liquor store for most of the year since it only releases each January. I don’t know why there’s not more of a demand for this amazing 10-year bourbon (ala Old Forester’s annual Birthday Bourbon), but it’s simply a tastegasm. All of that Old Forester goodness floods the nose and explodes on the palate. Again, it’s creamy dessert in a Glencairn, and it’s a treat every time.
Fourth Round – Final Four
John J. Bowman Single Barrel 79, Old Forester 1924 78. After tasting the previous two, I proceded to test the final two against each other. Both were basically tied in my final evaluation, with Old Forester’s flavors taking the lead at one point and Bowman’s finish giving it an edge later on. When it came down to it, I had to just decide – if I was to pick one of these I would want to enjoy right now, which one would it be. The answer: John J. Bowman. This bourbon has improved with each pour, and the flavors are just undeniably delicious. On a different day, it’s entirely possible (or even likely) that I might prefer the 1924, but on this day, Bowman made a believer out of me and won this 100-proof bourbon bracket!
Here is the final breakdown of the entire bracket.
Copyright © 2025 Doug DeBolt
