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Arkansas Barrel Heads’ Old Forester Black Label Sells Out in 2½ Minutes
A long-time wish-list barrel for Arkansas Barrel Heads finally arrived. The group’s Old Forester Single Barrel Black Label was offered exclusively to ABH members at 100 proof, with all 120 available bottles claimed in approximately two and a half minutes.
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Last Updated on October 8, 2026 by Justin Jones
ARKANSAS BOURBON RELEASE • AUGUST 13, 2026
The Black Label Finally Arrives
It was one of the bottles Arkansas Barrel Heads talked about before the group ever knew whether its own barrel-pick program would become a reality. Months after traveling to Kentucky to select it in person, ABH finally released its Old Forester Single Barrel Black Label — and every available bottle was claimed in approximately two and a half minutes.
ABH MEMBER EXCLUSIVE • SOLD OUT
ArkansasLiquor.com • Release coverage
100 PROOF
50% ABV
WAREHOUSE J
FLOOR 7
120 BOTTLES
ABH MEMBERS ONLY
$64.26
OUT THE DOOR
SOLD OUT IN APPROXIMATELY 2½ MINUTES
THE STORY BEHIND THE PICK
A Wish-List Barrel From the Beginning
According to Steve Crowe, Old Forester Single Barrel Black Label was near the top of the list when he and Abe Wyly first began talking about what Arkansas Barrel Heads might someday accomplish with barrel selections.
At the time, that goal was far from guaranteed. Arkansas had not seen one of the Black Label single-barrel selections in a long time, and Crowe said he did not even know whether the opportunity would be possible.
Then Wyly began working with Kyle Boswell at Purspirit. The relationship created the opportunity ABH had hoped for: a chance to select an Old Forester Black Label barrel.
And the group decided immediately that this was not going to be a selection made from samples shipped back to Arkansas. If ABH was finally getting its shot at one of its original wish-list barrels, the team wanted to do it in person.
WHY BLACK LABEL?
The Challenge Is What Remains at 100 Proof
The distinction between the Black Label and a barrel-strength Old Forester is not simply that one contains less alcohol. For the ABH selection team, the goal was to find a barrel that could be brought to the Black Label’s 100-proof bottling point without stripping away the characteristics that made the whiskey special in the first place.
“The flavor stays. The character stays. The depth stays.”
— Steve Crowe, Arkansas Barrel Heads
The result was intended to be a pour that retained the barrel’s flavor, structure and depth while landing in a range designed for sitting down with a glass and simply enjoying the whiskey rather than wrestling with the proof.
ONE TRIP • TWO BARRELS
The Black Label Was the Reason They Went
The trip to Old Forester was built around the Black Label. The ABH crew traveled to Kentucky, sat down with the available barrels and found the 100-proof selection they had been talking about since the group’s early days.
Then the trip took an unexpected turn. The team’s second-place barrel was simply too good to leave behind. ABH bought that barrel as well, and it eventually became the group’s 131.1-proof Blue Label Barrel Strength release.
That Blue Label arrived first and developed a following after members began opening bottles and sharing their impressions. But for Crowe, the Black Label remained the release that completed the original mission.
THE BOTTLE
Old Forester Single Barrel Black Label
The finished bottle is Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky Single Barrel bottled at 100 proof, or 50% alcohol by volume. The label identifies the barrel as an Arkansas Barrel Heads selection from Warehouse J, Floor 7.
Unlike a standard shelf bottle of Old Forester 100 Proof, this is the product of one individually selected barrel. That means the familiar Old Forester framework is filtered through the characteristics of a specific barrel rather than a batch assembled for consistency across many barrels.
Brand: Old Forester
Expression: Single Barrel Black Label
Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
Proof: 100
ABV: 50%
Warehouse / Floor: J / 7
Selected by: Arkansas Barrel Heads
Retail partner: Purspirit
Release quantity: 120 bottles
Release price: $64.26 out the door
THE RELEASE ARTWORK
Black Label Gets the Arkansas Barrel Heads Treatment
The release also carries custom Arkansas Barrel Heads artwork built around the Old Forester Black Label identity. The design leans into ABH’s familiar barrel-headed characters while placing “100 Proof” front and center.
It gives the bottle a visual identity that connects directly to the group that selected it, while the official Old Forester bottle label provides the important barrel information: single barrel, 100 proof, Warehouse J, Floor 7 and Selected by ABH.
ABH MEMBER EXCLUSIVE
120 Bottles. Two and a Half Minutes.
The Black Label was not released as a general retail drop. The 120 available bottles were offered exclusively to members of Arkansas Barrel Heads.
When the official release post went live, members were instructed to comment “IN” to secure a bottle. Once an administrator liked the comment, the bottle was guaranteed. Pickup began Monday, August 17, at Purspirit in Fayetteville and at a Little Rock pickup point arranged by the group.
2½ MINUTES
All 120 available bottles were claimed.
WHAT MEMBERS ARE SAYING
Old Forester Black Label Reviews and Tasting Notes
The first reviews from Arkansas Barrel Heads members arrived within days of the release. They agree on the outline: a classic Old Forester nose, vanilla and cake icing, and a finish that runs long and sweet for a 100-proof bourbon.
David Bohannan
ABH SELECTION TEAM • AUGUST 15, 2026
Nose: vanilla and fruit.
Palate: a ton of dark fruit, much like the Blue Label, with cherry pie, possibly apricot, vanilla and confectionery sugar.
Finish: long, pleasant and very sweet. Bohannan said his first sip reminded him of the 2025 Birthday Bourbon he had open. After pouring the two side by side, he concluded it is not Birthday Bourbon, but that a few more years in the barrel could have put it close.
Grant Black
ABH ADMINISTRATOR • AUGUST 16, 2026 • RATED 10/10
Nose: more classic Brown-Forman than the Blue Label, with just enough Old Forester banana to recognize, plus dusty rickhouse that turns to creamy vanilla icing.
Palate: the banana steps back. Black said it coats the mouth more than most 100-proof bourbons, reminded him of whipped cream, and carried a little more tingle than he expected.
Finish: long for the proof and sweeter as it goes, ending on caramel cake with whipped icing and a last touch of banana. A self-described proof hound who usually leans toward Blue Labels, Black called it a top 100-proof bottle on his bar and gave it a 10/10.
Tasting notes and ratings are subjective and are attributed to the individual reviewers. Both reviews were posted in the Arkansas Barrel Heads group.
VIDEO REVIEW • THE THIRD POUR, EPISODE 77
The Third Pour Calls It an Everyday Sipper
The whiskey podcast The Third Pour opened both ABH Old Forester picks in Episode 77, published September 11, 2026. Hosts The Doc and Izzy tasted the 100-proof Black Label next to the 131.1-proof Blue Label. The Doc, who considers 100 proof the sweet spot for Old Forester, rated the Black Label an Everyday Sipper.
EVERYDAY SIPPER
The Third Pour’s rating for the ABH Old Forester Black Label
The Doc found a classic Old Forester nose with banana bread, a slow-to-medium finish and only a faint warmth. He also said he thinks it beats Old Forester 1924, another 100-proof bottle that he noted costs about twice as much. Izzy picked up banana cream pie and praised the finish, which The Doc described as velvety.
Neither host would pick a winner between the two barrels. The Doc said both had top-shelf quality, but that he expected to drink them too often for that tier, and both bottles went onto the show’s best-of list for the year. He also credited Kyle Boswell of Purspirit, who he said declines to buy when the sample barrels on offer are not good enough.
THE LONG WAIT IS OVER
More Than Another Barrel Pick
For Arkansas Barrel Heads, the importance of this release is difficult to separate from when the idea began. Old Forester Black Label was discussed before the group knew whether it would ever have access to barrels like this. It existed first as a goal.
Abe Wyly built the relationship. Kyle Boswell and Purspirit helped turn the opportunity into something real. The group went to Kentucky rather than selecting remotely. They found the Black Label they wanted — and accidentally came home with another barrel worth buying along the way.
Then, when the Black Label was finally placed in front of ABH members, the entire allocation disappeared in about 150 seconds.
The barrel that was on the wish list before ABH barrel picks were a reality is no longer a future release. The Old Forester Black Label has arrived in Arkansas — and for 120 ABH members, it is finally in the collection.
Reporting note: This article is based on Arkansas Barrel Heads release information, Steve Crowe’s August 12 account of the selection, photographs of the released bottle and ArkansasLiquor.com’s previous reporting on the February Louisville selection and the earlier Blue Label release. Updated October 8, 2026, with member reviews posted in the Arkansas Barrel Heads group and Episode 77 of The Third Pour. The Black Label allocation described here was exclusive to Arkansas Barrel Heads members and is sold out. Please enjoy responsibly. Must be 21 or older to purchase alcohol.
Justin Jones
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