Old Forester has released Triple Char Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky, the latest entry in its limited 117 Series and the first expression produced entirely from whiskey distilled at the brand's Old Forester Distillery on Louisville's Main Street. The 375 mL bottle carries a suggested retail price of $64.99 and bottled at 115 proof (57.5% ABV), available beginning July 24, 2026.
The Product
The defining production variable is an extended barrel char — three times longer than Old Forester's standard specification — which accelerates wood interaction and amplifies oak-driven flavor compounds. The resulting spirit is positioned at the bolder end of the brand's portfolio, with tasting notes that run from pecan praline and stone fruit on the nose through buttery baked apple and cinnamon spice on the palate, finishing on rich oak and soft leather. The distillery designation — DSP KY-354 — confirms the whiskey's single-site provenance, a meaningful distinction for collectors and on-premise buyers tracking transparency in bourbon sourcing.
"Triple Char is an exciting new chapter for Old Forester and our 117 Series," said Caleb Trigo, Assistant Master Distiller. "Not only is it the first expression made entirely from whiskey distilled at our Main Street distillery, but the extended barrel char allows us to showcase that spirit in a completely new way. The result is a bourbon with remarkable richness, intense spice and a depth of oak that demonstrates both our heritage and our continued spirit of innovation."
Series Context
The 117 Series, first introduced in 2021, functions as Old Forester's experimental platform — a vehicle for highlighting distinctive barrel treatments, unusual aging conditions, and production anomalies that sit outside the core lineup. Previous releases include 1910 Extra Extra Old, Whiskey Row Fire, and High Angels' Share, each built around a single production variable that differentiates it from the flagship portfolio. Triple Char follows that playbook while adding the provenance story of the Main Street distillery, which has operated as a working production facility and visitor destination since 2018. That eight-year production runway is what makes the all-Main Street-distilled claim commercially significant: it signals that the facility has reached maturity as a full-cycle distillery rather than a hospitality asset with a symbolic still.
Distribution and Outlook
The release is limited to the Old Forester Distillery at 119 W. Main Street, Louisville, and select Kentucky retailers — a distribution footprint consistent with prior 117 Series drops, which have historically sold through quickly in the secondary market. For retailers and on-premise operators in Kentucky, the scarcity positioning and the provenance narrative provide a meaningful upsell opportunity over standard allocated bourbons in the $50–$75 range. Brown-Forman, Old Forester's parent company, has used the 117 Series to test consumer appetite for experimental expressions before any broader portfolio decisions; the Main Street provenance angle is likely to be watched as a blueprint for future limited releases tied to the facility. Operators tracking premium spirits trends in foodservice and Kentucky bourbon tourism will find the dual retail-and-distillery rollout a recurring model worth monitoring.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
