Did you know that Old Forester was the first bourbon exclusively sold in bottles?
In 1874, salesman-turned-distiller George Garvin Brown, in Marion County, Kentucky, first bottled his own “Old Forester” Straight Bourbon Whisky (this brand has no “e” for whatever reason) in labeled and sealed bottles (seems a bit late to get around to this seeing as industrial bottle production started around 1815). Whiskey had moved from the barrel to the bottle!
The idea swept the industry because it created trust between the salesperson and the consumer. Think about it- there’s no tampering with a sealed bottle! Before the 1870’s most whiskey was sold in barrels and glazed jugs. In glass bottles, you can see the finished products’ color, clarity, and almost taste it!
The demand for distilleries to bottle their whiskey was the greatest push to grow the glass bottle manufacturing industry since its inception and the next 25 years saw a huge variety of botttle designs. You’d be amazed at the creativity in bottle designs…
So maybe when you’re admiring all the fancy bottles of bourbon on your shelf, remember to raise a glass to Mr. Brown and Old Forester:)