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Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond vs Charles Goodnight Bourbon
Put Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond next to Charles Goodnight Bourbon and you have a classic, high-rye stalwart set against an uncut, high-rye heavyweight.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond | Charles Goodnight Bourbon |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | High-Rye Bourbon, Barrel Proof |
| Mash Bill | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley |
| Age | 4 years | 6 years +2 yr |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 115 proof (57.5% ABV) +15 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $55 ~$28 less | ~$75 – $80 |
- 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.
Charles Goodnight Bourbon
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Charles Goodnight Bourbon
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
heat 5/8 heat: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10
spice 6/7 spice: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 6 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10
oak 7/8 oak: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 8 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 5 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 6 out of 10
sweetness 7/7 sweetness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 7 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 7 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond 3 out of 10, Charles Goodnight Bourbon 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Proof and heat dominate the difference.
- 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.
- Charles Goodnight Bourbon: A barrel-strength Texas bourbon. The hot Texas climate pulls a lot of oak in six years, giving deep wood, brown sugar and dark fruit with plenty of rye spice.
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 at a lower price point.
- Go with Charles Goodnight Bourbon if you want a bold, oak-heavy Texas bourbon at barrel strength with an older age statement and with the texture that comes from skipping chill filtration.
Best enjoyed neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1897 Bottled-in-Bond); neat, rocks (Charles Goodnight Bourbon).