Old Forester Birthday Bourbon - 2005 Release

48% ABV (96 proof). Released September 2nd, 2005. A 12-year small-batch selection from the founding era of the Birthday Bourbon series — over 20 years out of primary distribution.

Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is released once a year on September 2nd — the birthday of founder George Garvin Brown — from a unique small-batch selection of 12-year-old barrels chosen by the master distiller. The 2005 was released at 96 proof (48% ABV), slightly higher than the standard Old Forester lineup, reflecting the specific barrels selected for that year's release.

The early Birthday Bourbon vintages (2003–2006) are the founding editions of the modern series and the hardest to source today. Two decades of attrition, smaller original production volumes, and the dramatic rise in Birthday Bourbon collectability since 2010 have made pre-2007 vintages genuinely rare. The 2005 is a documented piece of the series' early history.

Specs

• Distillery: Old Forester Distilling Co., Louisville, Kentucky (est. 1870)
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Age: 12 years
• Proof: 96 (48% ABV)
• Release: September 2nd, 2005 — Annual Birthday Bourbon
• Size: 750ml

Browse the full Old Forester collection or explore all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What makes 2005 notable in the Birthday Bourbon series? The 2005 is one of the founding-era vintages released before premium bourbon collecting reached its modern scale. At 96 proof it occupies a specific place in the series' proof progression — each year's proof varies based on the specific barrels selected, making the documented proof a meaningful data point for vertical collectors.
• What is the Birthday Bourbon series? Released annually on September 2nd, each edition is a unique small-batch of 12-year-old barrels. No two vintages share the same barrel selection or proof.
• Is the 2005 still available? In very limited quantities through specialty retailers with legacy stock. The 2005 is over 20 years out of primary release.
• Is Old Forester America's first bottled bourbon? Yes — George Garvin Brown began sealing bourbon in glass bottles with his signature in 1870, establishing the commercial bottling standard. Old Forester is recognized as America's first commercially bottled bourbon.