Discover everything about Old Forester Statesman, the Kingsman Bourbon, in this in-depth review that answers all your related questions!
Old Forester Statesman tasting notes: How does it taste?
| Nose | Cinnamon, cherry, oak, brown sugar |
| Palate | Honey, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, black pepper |
| Finish | Medium, cherry, oak, cinnamon |
| Alcohol content | 95 proof (42.5% ABV) |
| How to drink | Add water |
| Similar to | Old Forester 1870, Old Forester 1920 |
On the nose, the Statesman hits you a high cinnamon note, followed by cherry, brown sugar and a tad of oak.
On the palate, first sip is good and sweet, rich in honey and caramel, followed by cinnamon and pepper heat.
The finish has a medium length, bringing a cherry cough syrup note, oak and more cinnamon which is the common theme in this whiskey as you get it from nose to finish.
What’s special about the Statesman?
Statesman was released in 2017 as a tie-in of the movie “Kingsman: The Golden Circle“.
In the film, The Statesman are a spy organization who are distillers by day and spies at night with headquarters based inside the fictional Statesman Distillery, which in real life is the Old Forester Distillery.
Old Forester Statesman rating: Is it Good?
The film is better than the bourbon
I love the Kingsman Golden Circle, in fact, it’s one of my personal favorites and I bought the bottle as a token.
The Statesman is not bad, it has bourbon traditional tasting notes, yet priced a bit higher than I would expect from a whiskey with no age statement at a moderate proof.
Drinks nicely neat, yet you can make it a bit better adding a drop of water as it tunes-down the pepper heat by a notch making it easier to drink.
Just enough warmth at the end to warm your chest, making a good sipper.
A decent bourbon with nothing memorable as opposed to the movie which is incredibly good.
Do I regret buying it? NO! I like how it looks in my cabinet as it reminds me of Merlin singing Take Me Home, Country Roads.
How to drink Old Forester Statesman?
Add water
Drinks easy neat, yet adding water brings additional sweetness and oak, while tuning down the spicy hints and making it more enjoyable.
Old Forester Statesman: Mash bill
72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
The Statesman is made from a mash comprised of 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley which is the standard mash used by every Old Forester bourbon.
Old Forester Statesman: Age
No age statement
It doesn’t have an age statement but is aged for around 5 years.
Is it chill-filtered?
Yes
The statesman is a chill-filtered bourbon which is the norm across releases at this price range.
Old Forester Statesman: Alternatives
Old Forester 100 & Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
The Statesman is unique as it’s linked to the Kingsman with no alternatives in sight.
If you want something similar in taste while keeping an eye on your budget take a look at the Old Forester 100 Proof which offers great value for the money as it drinks quite nicely.
One that I’m fond of is the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked which is made from the same mash as both brands belong to the same parent company.
The double barreling delivers a better bourbon than the classic Woodford Reserve making something well worth looking at.
Old Forester Statesman: Price
Prices are approximate and stated in USD:
| Drizly | $60 |
| Total Wine | $58 |
A bit pricey for what it has to offer but still within reasonable limits.
Old Forester Statesman: Alcohol content
95 proof (47.4% ABV)
Does it expire?
Alcoholic beverages do not expire
It will last for years as long as you store it in a cool place and away from the sunlight.
I strongly suggest drinking it ASAP once the content is down to 25% as liquors start developing awkward notes past this level.
How is it made?
- Made from a mash of corn, rye and malted barley.
- After the grains have been milled and mashed, they are fermented for five to seven days with a proprietary yeast strain that is grown fresh daily at the Old Forester Distillery.
- This long fermentation process adds depth and complexity according to Old Forester.
- Following fermentation, the grains are twice distilled before being matured in new, American oak casks for around 5 years.
Old Forester Statesman: Cheat Sheet
| Type of Whisky | Bourbon |
| Age statement | 5 years |
| Proof | 95 |
| ABV | 47.5% |
| Is it good? | Yes |
| Is it top-shelf? | No |
| Does it expire? | No |
| Sweet? | Moderately |
| Warm? | Just a bit |
| Peaty? | No |
| Good for beginners? | No |
| Good for cocktails? | No |
| Good with Coke? | No |
| Calories per shot | 108 |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Keto-friendly | Yes |
I am a bar and liquor shop owner in Oaxaca, Mexico where I have tasted hundreds of different spirits; perhaps more than I should!