Compare
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond vs Bulleit Bourbon
Comparing Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond and Bulleit Bourbon is a closer contest than it looks — both are high-rye bourbons, separated mainly by price (~$45 – $55 vs. ~$25 – $32).
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond | Bulleit Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) +10 proof | 90 proof (45% ABV) |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $55 | ~$25 – $32 ~$22 less |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Bulleit Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Bulleit Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 7/5 sweetness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
oak 7/5 oak: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
spice 6/7 spice: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 7 out of 10
heat 5/4 heat: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 4 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Bulleit Bourbon 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond: The bonded entry in the Whiskey Row series and a noticeable step up in density from the standard 100. More oak and more weight, though the price gap to the 100 proof is harder to justify than the flavour gap suggests.
- Bulleit Bourbon: The bottle that put high-rye bourbon in every cocktail bar in the country. Peppery and dry with the familiar MGP dill note, and it earns its place behind the bar more than in a glass on its own.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond if you want a bonded, denser take on the Old Forester profile with more barrel behind it with more proof behind it.
- Go with Bulleit Bourbon if you want a dry, peppery, high-rye bourbon built for cocktails and available absolutely everywhere at a lower price point.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond); old-fashioned, cocktails, highball (Bulleit Bourbon).