Old Forester The 117 Series Triple Char Batch 001 Kentucky Straight Bourbon 375ml 118 Proof

Batch 001 of Old Forester's 117 Series Triple Char — a small-batch Kentucky straight bourbon drawn from barrels charred three times as long as the distillery's standard, bottled at 118 proof in the series' 375ml format.

The 117 Series is Old Forester's experimental line: small-batch releases that each isolate a single variable in how bourbon is made and push it further than the core range would allow. They arrive in irregular drops rather than on a schedule, which is why the series gets collected release by release rather than treated as a standing product.

This one isolates char. Old Forester chars its barrels for a set duration as standard; for this batch the staves went back over the flame for three times that long. The label states it directly — the barrels were charred three times as long as the standard Old Forester barrel profile, and that exceptional depth of char is what delivers the flavour.

The mechanism is straightforward. A longer char builds a thicker layer of caramelized wood sugars and active carbon between the whiskey and the oak beneath it, so the spirit picks up more caramelized sugar, toasted wood and a faint smoky edge, and less of the light vanilla and gentle spice a standard char contributes.

Distilled and bottled by Old Forester Distilling Co. in Louisville, Kentucky. Batch No. 001 — the first Triple Char release in the series.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Rich caramel, toasted oak, vanilla, dark cherry, charred sugar and warm baking spices.
• Palate: Full and layered — brown sugar, caramelized vanilla, dark fruit, toasted barrel notes, cinnamon and roasted nuts.
• Finish: Lingering oak and baking spice with sweet caramel, vanilla and a pleasantly charred close.

Specs

• Brand: Old Forester
• Series: The 117 Series
• Expression: Triple Char
• Batch: No. 001
• Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Proof: 118 (59% ABV)
• 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 "Triple Char" mean three different char levels? No, and it's a common misreading. The barrels weren't a mix of char grades — they were charred three times as long as Old Forester's standard barrel profile. One char, extended. The label says so directly.
• What is the 117 Series? Old Forester's experimental small-batch line. Each release takes one element of production — char depth, warehouse position, entry proof — and pushes it beyond what the core range does, then bottles the result in limited quantity. Releases are irregular, so each one is effectively a one-off.
• Why is it a 375ml bottle? The whole 117 Series is bottled at half size. It lets Old Forester release genuinely experimental batches without committing large volumes of whiskey, and it keeps a limited bottle within reach of people who want to taste it rather than only collect it.