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Uncle Nearest 1856 vs Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style
Uncle Nearest 1856 and Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style sit on opposite sides of a familiar divide: a blender-built, classically built bottling versus an old-guard, rye-forward classic.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Uncle Nearest 1856 | Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey | High-Rye Bourbon |
| Mash Bill 1 | Not disclosed | 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 100 proof (50% ABV) | 115 proof (57.5% ABV) +15 proof |
| Approx. Price 2 | ~$55 – $70 | ~$55 – $70 |
- Uncle Nearest 1856 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
Uncle Nearest 1856
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Uncle Nearest 1856 Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
spice 5/7 spice: Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10
heat 5/7 heat: Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10
sweetness 7/8 sweetness: Uncle Nearest 1856 7 out of 10, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 8 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Uncle Nearest 1856 4 out of 10, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 3 out of 10
oak 7/7 oak: Uncle Nearest 1856 7 out of 10, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 7 out of 10
fruit 5/5 fruit: Uncle Nearest 1856 5 out of 10, Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
Rye spice is the dividing line here.
- Uncle Nearest 1856: Named for Nathan 'Nearest' Green, the enslaved distiller who taught Jack Daniel, and now backed by the brand's own distillery in Shelbyville. Sweet and maple-leaning with the charcoal-mellowed softness of the style.
- Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style: Dense and syrupy for its age, with molasses and dark chocolate carrying a serious 115-proof punch. The high rye reads as baking spice rather than sharpness, and the body is unusually thick.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Uncle Nearest 1856 if you want a sweet, maple-forward Tennessee whiskey with a story worth knowing behind it.
- Go with Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style if you want a rich, high-proof, dessert-leaning bourbon with real weight in the glass.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks, old-fashioned (Uncle Nearest 1856); neat, old-fashioned (Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style).