Old Forester The 117 Series Prohibition Era Still Proof Batch 001 Kentucky Straight Bourbon 375ml 130 Proof

Batch 001 of the 117 Series Prohibition Era Still Proof — Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at 130 proof, the strength at which Old Forester was distilled during a specific window of Prohibition.

The history on the label is precise. During Prohibition, Old Forester was one of six Kentucky distillers issued federal permits to bottle existing whiskey stocks as medicine. By 1930 those stocks were running down, and the government granted the permit holders a 100-day window to replenish them. Old Forester distilled at 130 proof during that period — which is what "Still Proof" in the name refers to, and what this release recreates.

The 117 Series is Old Forester's experimental line: small-batch releases that each isolate one variable in how bourbon is made and push it past where the core range goes. They arrive irregularly rather than on a schedule, which is why the series gets collected release by release.

Bottled at 65% ABV in the series' 375ml format. Batch No. 001, released December 2025, DSP KY-354.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Dark caramel, brown sugar and vanilla layered with charred oak, cinnamon and baking spice.
• Palate: Bold and concentrated — dark fruit and toasted wood developing across a full-bodied mid-palate.
• Finish: Warming and long, with lingering caramel, spice and oak.

Specs

• Brand: Old Forester
• Series: The 117 Series
• Release: Prohibition Era Still Proof
• Batch: No. 001
• Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Proof: 130 (65% ABV)
• Release date: December 2025  |  DSP: KY-354
• Distilled and bottled: Old Forester Distilling Co., Louisville, Kentucky
• Size: 375ml

Explore the full Old Forester collection or browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Does 130 proof refer to the barrel entry proof? No — it's the distillation proof, which is what "Still Proof" means. The label states that Old Forester was distilled at 130 proof during the 1930 replenishment window. Barrel entry proof is a separate figure and a common point of confusion with this release.
• Why was Old Forester distilling during Prohibition at all? Six Kentucky distillers held federal permits to bottle whiskey as medicine. Old Forester was one of them. By 1930 the permitted stocks were depleted, so the government opened a 100-day window for those distillers to produce more — a narrow and well-documented exception to an otherwise total ban.
• What is the 117 Series? Old Forester's experimental small-batch line, where each release takes a single production variable — char depth, entry proof, still proof — and pushes it beyond the core range. Releases are irregular and bottled at 375ml, so each one functions as a one-off.