Old Forester is one of those brands that doesn't need to shout. It's been around since 1870 — the oldest continuously sold bourbon in America — and while I won't pretend to know the exact details of Statesman's production beyond what's on the label, what I can tell you is this: at 47.5% ABV, this Kentucky Straight Bourbon sits in a sweet spot that a lot of producers miss entirely.
The Statesman expression arrived with a bit of Hollywood fanfare, tied to the Kingsman film franchise, and I'll admit that made me skeptical. Movie tie-in whiskeys are usually marketing exercises with forgettable liquid inside. But Old Forester didn't phone this one in. They bottled something with genuine backbone at a proof point — 95 proof — that tells you they wanted this to actually taste like bourbon, not like a watered-down souvenir.
What to Expect
This is a NAS bourbon, so we're not getting an age statement to lean on. That's fine. What matters here is what's in the glass, and Old Forester's house style has always leaned toward rich, full-flavoured whiskey with real warmth. At 47.5%, you're getting enough proof to carry flavour without the burn overwhelming your palate. It's the kind of ABV that works brilliantly neat but also holds its own when you start mixing — which, as someone who spent six years behind a Michelin-starred bar, I can tell you is harder to find than people think.
Kentucky Straight Bourbon has to meet strict legal requirements: at least 51% corn in the mashbill, aged in new charred oak barrels, distilled at no more than 160 proof, entered into the barrel at no more than 125 proof, and aged a minimum of two years with no additives. The 'straight' designation matters. It's a quality floor that gives you confidence about what you're drinking, and Old Forester has been working within those rules longer than almost anyone.
The Verdict
At £49.95, the Statesman sits in competitive territory. You're paying a small premium over Old Forester's standard 86 proof expression, but the bump in proof and complexity justifies it. This isn't a bourbon that's trying to be something it's not — it's a solid, well-made Kentucky straight bourbon from one of America's legacy producers, bottled at a proof that actually lets you taste the whiskey. I'm giving it a 7.7 out of 10. It loses half a point for the lack of an age statement and the slight movie-tie-in tax on the price, but the liquid itself earns its place on the shelf. It's honest bourbon, and that counts for something.
Best Served
This is a Manhattan bourbon through and through. That 95 proof means it won't disappear behind sweet vermouth the way lower-proof bourbons tend to. Two parts Statesman, one part good sweet vermouth, a couple of dashes of Angostura, stirred over ice and strained into a coupe. The bourbon's warmth and Kentucky character will carry the drink beautifully. If cocktails aren't your thing, pour it neat with a few drops of water — that 47.5% opens up nicely without needing ice to tame it.
