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Booker’s vs Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Put Booker’s next to Old Forester 1870 Original Batch and you have an uncut, high-rye heavyweight set against a classic, high-rye stalwart.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Booker’s | Old Forester 1870 Original Batch |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | 7 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 125 proof (62.5% ABV) +35 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$85 – $110 | ~$45 – $55 ~$48 less |
| Availability | Limited | Widely available easier to find |
- Booker’s does not publish an official mash bill.
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Booker’s
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Booker’s Old Forester 1870 Original Batch
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 10/3 heat: Booker’s 10 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 3 out of 10
nuttiness 8/2 nuttiness: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 2 out of 10
spice 7/4 spice: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 4 out of 10
oak 8/5 oak: Booker’s 8 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 5 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Booker’s 4 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 6 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: Booker’s 7 out of 10, Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 7 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
These two land very differently on the palate for heat.
- Booker’s: Uncut, unfiltered Beam at batch strength, and the most concentrated expression of the house peanut-and-oak character. Enormous and hot, with a finish that goes on well past where you expect it to stop.
- Old Forester 1870 Original Batch: The first bottle in Old Forester's Whiskey Row Series, recreating the founder's habit of blending barrels from three warehouses. It is the lightest of the series, caramel sweet and easy.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Booker’s if you want the Beam house style at full power and you have water on the table with significantly more proof behind it and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
- Go with Old Forester 1870 Original Batch if you want the gentlest, most easygoing pour in the Whiskey Row Series at a significantly lower price point and without hunting for it.
Best enjoyed neat (Booker’s); neat, rocks, highball (Old Forester 1870 Original Batch).