Thirty-two bottles entered the bracket. Eight made the quarterfinals. Now only four are left standing — and the road to the championship runs straight through two bottles from the same family. The Old Forester dynasty has already claimed half the bracket, but two stubborn outsiders — one Total Wine upstart and one classic Kentucky staple — are still swinging for a chance to take the crown.

Let’s see who survives the Final Four… and who earns the right to go head-to-head for the title.

Blind #15 — The Final Four

The Contenders

1️⃣ Old Forester 117 Series 1910 Extra Extra Old
2️⃣ Old Forester 1910
1️⃣9️⃣ Buffalo Trace Barrel Select
2️⃣1️⃣ Sleight of Hand

Glencairn A

Color: Rich mahogany
Nose: Brown sugar, caramel, rich chocolate, light red fruit
Palate: Spicy for the proof; butter, caramel, nutmeg, chocolate — full dessert profile
Mouthfeel: Thick and delicious
Finish: Long, spice-led, deeply satisfying
Score: 91.25

Glencairn B

Color: Solid copper
Nose: Light oak first, then buttery brown sugar and mild spice
Palate: Oak driven at first, then toffee, brown sugar and caramel follow
Mouthfeel: Working toward creamy, not quite there
Finish: Long — cinnamon, oak and toffee carry it home
Score: 78.45

Glencairn C

Color: Rich mahogany
Nose: Butterscotch, milk chocolate, caramel, cherries, cinnamon
Palate: Cinnamon and oak up front, then toffee, caramel, chocolate, red fruit
Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy
Finish: Warm, lasting, spice sits in the throat
Score: 90.27

Glencairn D

Color: Rich amber
Nose: Sweet fruit first, then buttery toffee and mild baking spice
Palate: Surprisingly spicy; grapes, apples, light vanilla, caramel
Mouthfeel: Silky
Finish: Shorter, but warm with candied fruit and baking spice
Score: 76.49

Thoughts About the Blind

A and C are 100% the Old Foresters — just no way around it. But which is which? No idea. And since they’re both advancing, I don’t even want to know yet. Sleight of Hand (B) once again over-delivered, and Buffalo Trace (D) brought more fruit than expected… but neither one could match the depth of the Foresters.

The Reveal

• Glencairn A: Undisclosed Old Forester

• Glencairn B: Sleight of Hand

• Glencairn C: Undisclosed Old Forester

• Glencairn D: Buffalo Trace Barrel Select

The Results

✅ Advancing to the Championship:
Old Forester 117 Series 1910 Extra Extra Old
Old Forester 1910

Blind #16 — The Championship

Two siblings. One crown.

These whiskies share the same base concept and recipe — but time, technique and proof have shaped them into distinct personalities. To settle this properly, we go category vs. category.

Head-to-Head Scoring

The Verdict

A wins the blind — richer, deeper, fuller. C put up a real fight, especially with that unexpected cherry finish, but the extra oak time was too much to overcome.

The Reveal

• Glencairn A: Old Forester 117 Series 1910 Extra Extra Old

• Glencairn C: Old Forester 1910

🏆 The Champion

Old Forester 117 Series 1910 Extra Extra Old

Final Thoughts

Once again, the real winner is… me. Not every bottle in this bracket was special, but most were good, several were excellent, and a few turned into genuine surprises. Sleight of Hand — a Total Wine Spirits Direct pick — basically finished third, which shocked me. And Buffalo Trace, which I’ve rarely loved, fought its way into the Final Four.

A year from now, the bracket could look totally different. Palates evolve, bottles rotate in and out, and the next sleeper may already be on the shelf. But today? The Old Forester twins run the house — and my bottle of Extra Extra Old is now officially on pour-ration status.

I’ll be refilling the 1910 sooner than later. The champ gets sipped slowly.

Copyright © 2025 Doug DeBolt.