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Old Forester 86 Proof vs Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series
Old Forester 86 Proof and Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: an old-guard, rye-forward classic versus a new-wave, classically built craft style.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Old Forester 86 Proof | Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | High-Rye Bourbon | Traditional Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley | Not disclosed |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 86 proof (43% ABV) | 98.9 proof (49.5% ABV) +13 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$20 – $26 ~$40 less | ~$55 – $70 |
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 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
Old Forester 86 Proof
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Old Forester 86 Proof Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
oak 4/6 oak: Old Forester 86 Proof 4 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 6 out of 10
heat 3/5 heat: Old Forester 86 Proof 3 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 5 out of 10
sweetness 6/7 sweetness: Old Forester 86 Proof 6 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 7 out of 10
fruit 5/6 fruit: Old Forester 86 Proof 5 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 6 out of 10
spice 5/5 spice: Old Forester 86 Proof 5 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 5 out of 10
nuttiness 3/3 nuttiness: Old Forester 86 Proof 3 out of 10, Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series 3 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Oak is doing most of the differentiating here.
- Old Forester 86 Proof: The entry bottling and the cheapest way to meet the Old Forester banana-and-caramel signature. Thin at 86 proof, but it costs very little and mixes well.
- Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series: A blend of Bardstown's own young distillate with older sourced Kentucky whiskey, which is exactly what the name describes. Polished and fruit-leaning, and a clear demonstration that the blending is the skill on show.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Old Forester 86 Proof if you want the Old Forester house character at the lowest possible price.
- Go with Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series if you want a well-built modern blend that shows what careful blending does rather than what age alone does with more proof behind it.
Best enjoyed cocktails, highball, rocks (Old Forester 86 Proof); neat, rocks (Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series).