Old Forester King Ranch Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
- Apr 30, 2025
- 5 min read
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Cigar smoking and drinking alcohol are for adults of legal smoking and drinking age.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Cigar smoking and drinking alcohol are for adults of legal smoking and drinking age.
About This Spirit from the Maker
Old Forester King Ranch Edition™
Old Forester King Ranch Edition™ celebrates the union of two iconic American brands – Old Forester and King Ranch. Together, we created a proprietary batch of Old Forester Bourbon – a bespoke blend of whisky matured in heavily charred barrels, and filtered through King Ranch mesquite charcoal.
Available only in Texas, this expression is an homage to the values held by both Old Forester and King Ranch: hard work, ingenuity, and a lasting legacy. Old Forester King Ranch Edition™ is presented at 105 proof.
AROMA: Dried cherries, cranberries, toasted pecans and marshmallows drizzled with sorghum molasses.
FLAVOR: Sweet dark chocolate, tobacco and leather spices mingle with toasted and caramelized oak and nut character.
FINISH: Long and warming
Source: Pourmore Enclosure
Old Forester King Ranch Edition
Producer/Distiller: Brown-Forman Distillery
Brand Owner: Brown-Forman
Type: Bourbon Whiskey
Location: Kentucky, USA
Story: Old Forester whiskey is part of a very exclusive club, being one of only six distillers in the country granted permission by the government to continue producing whiskey during Prohibition. Of course, the distribution was limited to strictly medicinal purposes. Of the six distillers, Old Forester is the only whiskey that has remained legally available before, during and after Prohibition. Old Forester King Ranch Edition is a limited-release bourbon that celebrates the partnership between Old Forester and Texas's historic King Ranch.
On the nose, it offers aromas of dried cherries, cranberries, toasted pecans, and marshmallows drizzled with sorghum molasses. The palate reveals sweet dark chocolate, tobacco, and leather spices, mingling with toasted and caramelized oak and nut character. The finish is long and warming, providing a satisfying conclusion to each sip.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Cigar smoking and drinking alcohol are for adults of legal smoking and drinking age.
How We Feel About the Spirit
Old Forester King Ranch Edition
A His & Hers Take on a Texas‑Born Bourbon With a Legacy All Its Own
Joint Introduction
Our April 2025 PourMore Enthusiast Whiskey of the Month Club delivery brought us something we didn’t expect—a bottle that feels both rugged and refined, steeped in history yet new to our shelves: Old Forester King Ranch Edition.
We’ve known Old Forester for years. It’s one of those names that carries weight in the bourbon world—surviving Prohibition, maintaining its lineage, and earning its place among America’s most storied distillers. But the King Ranch Edition was new to us. A Texas‑exclusive release, crafted in partnership with the legendary King Ranch, and filtered through mesquite charcoal? That’s a twist we didn’t see coming.
We haven’t opened the bottle yet, but even sealed, it feels like a story waiting to be told—one part Kentucky tradition, one part Texas grit, all wrapped in a 105‑proof promise of something bold, warm, and memorable.
His Take (Jeff)
There’s something about this bottle that feels… substantial. Not flashy. Not trying too hard. Just confident in its own history. The King Ranch branding gives it this rugged, outdoorsman edge—like the kind of bourbon you’d pour after a long day of honest work, boots still dusty, sunset still glowing.
The mesquite charcoal filtration intrigues me. Mesquite is unmistakably Texan—smoky, earthy, a little wild. Pair that with Old Forester’s classic profile, and I’m expecting a bourbon that leans into richness: dark chocolate, tobacco, leather, toasted oak. The kind of flavors that settle in and stay awhile.
This feels like a bottle that will stand up to a slow sip neat, but also hold its own in a cocktail without losing its character. I’m already imagining that first pour.
Her Take (Nancy Fae)
What draws me in is the story—the partnership between two American icons, each with its own legacy of craftsmanship and resilience. Old Forester’s history through Prohibition is impressive enough, but pairing that with King Ranch’s heritage gives this bottle a sense of place and purpose.
The tasting notes read like a dessert table at a Southern holiday gathering: dried cherries, cranberries, toasted pecans, marshmallows with sorghum molasses. It sounds warm, inviting, and layered. And the finish—“long and warming”—feels like exactly the kind of bourbon that belongs in our Sipping Room.
I love that it’s a Texas‑only release. It makes the bottle feel special, like a little piece of the Lone Star State found its way to Alabama just for us.
Joint Closing — His, Hers & the Good Life
Together, this bottle feels like a celebration of heritage—Kentucky tradition meeting Texas tenacity. It’s the kind of bourbon that reminds us why we love collecting: every bottle has a story, a personality, a moment waiting to happen.
Old Forester King Ranch Edition isn’t just another addition to the shelf. It’s a conversation piece. A future memory. A bottle that bridges history, craftsmanship, and the simple joy of sharing something meaningful.
His, Hers & the Good Life That’s what this bottle brings to our Sipping Room.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Cigar smoking and drinking alcohol are for adults of legal smoking and drinking age.
How We Will Enjoy This Whisky
When we finally open this bottle, we’ll savor it thoughtfully—letting the mesquite‑charcoal influence and heavily charred barrels show off their depth. We’ll start neat, giving the dried fruit, toasted pecan, and dark chocolate notes room to unfold. A splash of water will likely coax out even more of that warm, nutty sweetness and soften the tobacco and leather edges.
We’ll also try it over a single large ice rock, letting the slow melt reveal the caramelized oak and long, warming finish.
And because PourMore included the recipe, we will be mixing the Strawberry Basil Bourbon Smash—a bright, refreshing contrast to the bourbon’s deeper, richer profile. The muddled strawberries, basil, and lemon feel like the perfect spring and summer pairing for a bold 105‑proof whiskey.
Between the neat pours, the slow‑melt ice, and that vibrant cocktail, this bottle will give us more than one way to enjoy the moment—and more than one story to tell.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Cigar smoking and drinking alcohol are for adults of legal smoking and drinking age.
Disclaimer: Cigar smoking and drinking alcohol are for adults of legal smoking and drinking age. Life’s Rants promotes the responsible and legal enjoyment of premium cigars and alcohol by individuals of legal age. We do not endorse or encourage smoking or drinking among minors.
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