The Bourbon Culture
Critic
Bourbons: avg 7.5/10 · median 7.9/10 · range 1–10 · 514 rated
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Product
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2025
Old ForesterSpiritsBourbon
ShelfRead verdict
Sources split
Sources split on this one. The Bourbon Culture puts it in the top 34.2% of bourbon, Breaking Bourbon in the bottom 28.6%. Breaking Bourbon gives it 3/5, right in line with the typical bourbon (357 rated). The Bourbon Culture gives it 8.1/10, vs. 7.8/10 for the typical bourbon (473 rated).
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2025 is the 25th annual release in Old Forester's flagship limited-edition series, first launched in 2002 to commemorate founder George Garvin Brown's September 2nd birthday. Each year's Birthday Bourbon is drawn from barrels filled on a single day of production; the 2025 edition comes from barrels filled April 5, 2013 and aged 12 years in Warehouse K, selected by Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris and Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo. Notably, this release was made using a sweet mash fermentation process instead of Old Forester's traditional sour mash, and is bottled at 92 proof (46% ABV) in a 700ml bottle, a first for the series.
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Official state lists
Price by state
Control states post one official price per bottle (700 ml). These come from the published state price lists, so each number is the real shelf price statewide. As of October 1, 2026.
- IowaIowa ABD · item #920379$155.99
- North CarolinaNC ABC · item #17763$199.95
- VirginiaVirginia ABC · item #020379$199.99
Cross-state typical price: $199.95.
Price history
Price over time
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