Breaking Rules and Surviving History: Old Forester’s Master Taster on Innovation, Prohibition, and Finding Value in Bourbon

by | Aug 6, 2026

Master Taster Melissa Rift takes us inside Old Forester‘s 156-year journey of continuous production, from surviving Prohibition with medicinal whiskey licenses to modern innovations like rum cask finishes. She shares insights on developing your palate, the art of single barrel selection, and how one recipe can create an entire portfolio of expressions through masterful manipulation of maturation, batching, and proofing.

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