This Bourbon Survived Prohibition, and Now It Has Its Own Documentary
NewsThursday, 22 January 2026 at 08:03
The history of bourbon is steeped in legend, but few brands can claim they existed before, during, and after Prohibition. That’s precisely what the Old Forester name stands for. There’s now a new documentary.
The film tells the 156-year-old story of Old Forester, founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown in Louisville, Kentucky.
156 years of bourbon history
That makes it the oldest continuously produced bourbon in America. The documentary is made by the Balas Brothers from Brooklyn and is part of their Whiskeyland series, which captures iconic American whiskey stories.
According to assistant master distiller Caleb Trigo, it’s an honor to share this heritage with a wider audience. And that heritage isn’t just old, it’s singular.
The only bourbon to endure Prohibition
During Prohibition, nearly every distillery was forced to shut down. Old Forester survived thanks to a rare medicinal whiskey license, which allowed the brand to keep producing and bottling bourbon for medical use.
A pivotal moment came in 1924, when Old Forester purchased barrels from distilleries that had been forced to close. That whiskey was then bottled under its own name, preserving not only the brand, but a vital chapter of bourbon history.
Old Forester 1924: history in a glass
The documentary’s release coincides with the return of Old Forester 1924, a 10-year-old bourbon in the Whiskey Row Series. This bottling pays tribute to that historic year and is bottled at 50% ABV.
Expect notes of chocolate-covered graham cracker, cinnamon, and a spicy finish. The whiskey is available at the distillery, via the official website, and at select retailers.
More than just a film
Filmmaker Ryan Balas says making the documentary became more than simply telling a story. By digging into the archives and bringing old tales to life, the team found themselves becoming part of the very tradition they set out to capture.
The documentary is now streaming on the Whiskeyland TV YouTube channel and will soon appear on platforms including Amazon Prime, Relay, and Tubi.
Love bourbon and a good origin story? This one’s worth a watch.
FAQ
- What is Old Forester?
Old Forester is an American bourbon that has been produced continuously in Kentucky since 1870.
- Why is Old Forester so special?
The brand survived Prohibition thanks to a legal medicinal license.
- Who owns Old Forester?
Old Forester is owned by Brown-Forman, the company behind brands including Jack Daniel’s.
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LATEST COMMENTS
- There is no distillery equipment there and also no licences to produce or sell alcohol.TRC19-12-2025
- Hi Yvonne, Thank you for your response and for sharing the video. Unfortunately, the evidence you referred to consists only of two people talking about the whisky, without any explanation or identification. We have not spoken to the individuals in the video ourselves, nor can we verify who they are. We describe it as a Chinese whisky because it is released by a Chinese distillery. As you mentioned, the distillery has chosen to label the product as “pure malt” instead of “Chinese whisky.” Based on that, we do not believe they are doing anything illegal.M0nkey16-11-2025
- So - you have the proof......where's your write up?Yvonne16-11-2025
- You are absolutely right. Luckily that doesn't matter for the taste of the whisky. Have you tried it yet?M0nkey05-11-2025
- Guess what? Finland is not part of Scandinavia.Gray105-11-2025
- Throw in the towel? You mean restructure to compete and win in a challenging industry environment.WestwardFounder21-10-2025
- There is nothing legally to prevent the English whisky GI from coming into force, it complies with all the relevant laws and the single malt definition follows the precedent of Welsh whisky and US whiskyChefBear15-10-2025
- Three emails sent (two with videos, linked to a Google Drive Share). 1. The original video. 2. The video with subtitles as it was shared on YouTube 3. Screen grab of the YouTube channel where the video was blocked due to Pernod Ricard lobbying. The story was covered on Drinks Intel at the time - link here - https://drinks-intel.com/subscriber-news/pernod-ricards-the-chuan-pure-malt-whisky-not-sourced-solely-from-china-global-drinks-intel-exclusive/Yvonne10-10-2025
- Hi Yvonne, Thank you for your interesting comment. Could you share your copy with us, so we can adjust our item accordingly? Mail us at [email protected]. Thank you in advance.M0nkey09-10-2025
- Let's keep this factually correct. Pernod Ricard DID NOT release a Chinese whisky. Their first output from The Chuan (the name of the distillery in Sichuan, China) wasn't fit for bottling. What they actually bottled was imported Scotch whisky. This is why the product is called "PURE MALT" and not "Chinese Whisky" - because Pure Malt is not a regulated term - this is not a secret. This was exposed about a week after they released it. There were even videos about their own staff on site admitting it was made from imported whisky - which Pernod Ricard got the lawyers onto to get the video pulled. I've got a copy if you want it.Yvonne09-10-2025
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