Bourbon/Rye Review #23 & 24: Old Forester 1870 Original Batch and 1990s Old Forester bottling

Old Forester 1870 Original Batch 
Brown-Foreman -  NAS - Bourbon - 72C18R10M - Sample ($45) - 45%

Color - Caramel

Nose - Pine, lemons, fabric softener 

Taste - Caramel, lemon

Mouthfeel - Medium

Finish - Toffee, lemons

Finish Length - Medium

Overall - 3.5/7 - This is not my style of bourbon.  It is heavy caramel and lemon and not much else. Perfectly fine to drink but there are many options I would order over this. 

Old Forester 1870 1990s Bottling

Brown-Foreman -  NAS - Bourbon - 72C18R10M - Sample (Unavailable) - 43%

Color - Caramel

Nose - Toffee, artificial vanilla, almonds

Taste - Toffee, vanilla 

Mouthfeel -  Thin

Finish - Barrel char, pine-sol, toffee

Finish Length - Short

Overall - 2.5/7 - This is not good.  I wouldn't not be drinking this again. It tasted like well whisky but without the alcohol burn. The pine-sol on the finish is just not appealing.  

Rating system is price influenced as it is based on my shopping decisions when buying a bottle.

7 Best in Show

6 Worthy of consistent spot in my collection

5 Worth picking up a bottle at MSRP

4 I might order at a bar

3 I would drink it happily if offered

2 Whiskey on the rocks

1 Flawed/astringent - I won't be drinking it again