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Arkansas Barrel Heads Releases 131.1-Proof Old Forester Pick
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Last Updated on August 4, 2026 by Justin Jones
Arkansas Bourbon Release
The Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Strength bourbon is the first of two barrels selected by Arkansas Barrel Heads and PurSpirit during a February trip to Louisville.
131.1 Proof
65.55% ABV
Warehouse G
Floor 8
190 Bottles
Single-barrel release
The Arkansas Barrel Heads Old Forester release is officially underway through PurSpirit Liquor. Bottled at 131.1 proof, the Old Forester Single Barrel Barrel Strength selection comes from Warehouse G, Floor 8, and was limited to 190 bottles at launch.
The Blue Label is the first arrival from a two-barrel Old Forester selection experience previously covered by ArkansasLiquor.com. The second barrel—an Old Forester Single Barrel bottled at 100 proof—has not yet been released.
In This Story
Arkansas Barrel Heads Old Forester Release Details
The newly released bourbon carries the following specifications:
| Brand | Old Forester |
| Expression | Single Barrel Barrel Strength |
| Classification | Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky |
| Selected by | Arkansas Barrel Heads |
| Retail partner | PurSpirit Liquor |
| Warehouse / Floor | Warehouse G / Floor 8 |
| Alcohol | 65.55% ABV |
| Proof | 131.1 |
| Release quantity | 190 bottles |
| Launch price | $89.06 per bottle after tax |
| Initial purchase limit | Two bottles per person during the first six hours |
Release and pickup information
PurSpirit announced July 31 that the pick was live. Store pickup began Monday, August 3, at PurSpirit in Fayetteville. Arkansas Barrel Heads also arranged Central Arkansas pickup for participating buyers with reserved bottles.
Availability, purchase limits and pickup arrangements were accurate at launch and may change as bottles are claimed.
The Blue Label Barrel Selected in Louisville
This is the same barrel-strength selection first revealed in our February report, “PurSpirit & Arkansas Barrel Heads Select Two Old Forester Barrels in Louisville.”
The group traveled to Louisville intending to select one Old Forester Single Barrel at 100 proof. After unanimously choosing that Black Label barrel, the selection team was offered an additional Old Forester barrel at full strength.
The second sample measured above 130 proof, yet its concentrated flavor and surprisingly controlled heat immediately caught the group’s attention. It was also selected unanimously, turning a planned one-barrel trip into a two-barrel collaboration.
The final bottling strength is now confirmed at 65.55% alcohol by volume, or 131.1 proof.
Why the 131.1-Proof Old Forester Stood Out
During the Louisville selection, the Blue Label sample was described as unusually approachable for a bourbon carrying such a high proof. Steve Crowe of Arkansas Barrel Heads reported sweetness, caramel, dark oak and layers of flavor, with relatively little heat at the beginning of the pour. Instead of overwhelming the palate immediately, the whiskey’s warmth reportedly developed gradually.
Sweetness
Caramel-forward depth
Oak
Dark and layered
Heat
Controlled for 131.1 proof
Old Forester Blue Label Reviews and Tasting Notes
Early Notes: Banana, Cherry and Restrained Heat
David Bohannan described recognizable Old Forester flavors of banana and cherry, along with minimal alcohol burn for a 131.1-proof whiskey. He characterized the selection as easier drinking than several other Old Forester Blue Label bottles he had tasted.
Those observations echoed the Louisville selection impressions: a powerful barrel-strength bourbon that carries its proof more comfortably than the number on the label might suggest.
Grant Black Gives the Old Forester Blue Label a 10/10
10/10
Grant Black’s rating
- Instant cherry bomb
- Faint grape jelly
- Dusty rickhouse character
- Less burn than expected
- Exceptionally long cherry finish
Black, an administrator with Arkansas Barrel Heads who was not part of the barrel-selection team, shared one of the most detailed early reviews of the group’s 131.1-proof Old Forester Blue Label release.
He described a fruit-forward bourbon built around cherry, subtle grape and dusty rickhouse notes, with considerably less alcohol burn than he normally associates with Old Forester Barrel Strength selections.
Blue Label:
Nose: instant cherry bomb. I got some very faint grape almost like grape jelly on the very end of the nose. The nose reminds me of a Stagg Jr. a lot with a little bit of dusty rickhouse!
Palate: Cherry Bomb all the way through this one start to finish! I’ve never had a blue label like this. This is way more fruit forward than any other blue label. Not near the burn as most blue labels. If I blinded this with a few different bottles and you told me to pick out the blue label, I don’t think I could!
Finish: The only part that really sticks to the normal blue label agenda is the finish! Finish is exactly what I want from a blue label. Looooooong! Just keeps going! The cherry never fades here! All the way to very end!
Summary: The nose on this bottle initially made me think it was going to be tough to beat… then the palate did not let me down at all. It lived up to the nose! But the finish on this whisky is what stuck out most to me. As I type this I’m finishing my second pour of it and the finish blows me away after every sip. It doesn’t seem to go away! I was not part of this pick but they knocked it absolutely out of the park with this one! And I’m hearing that the black label is even better!
10/10 from me ABH!
— Grant Black, Arkansas Barrel Heads
Black’s tasting notes reinforce two themes that have followed the release: an unusually prominent cherry profile and restrained alcohol heat for a bourbon bottled at 131.1 proof. His description of the exceptionally long finish also shows how the bourbon performs beyond the first impression.
Editor’s note: The accompanying Old Forester Black Label 100 Proof selection had not been publicly released when Black shared this review. His comment about that barrel reflects what he had heard at the time. Tasting notes and ratings are subjective and are attributed to the individual reviewers.
Two Old Forester Barrels, One Released So Far
The Louisville trip produced two distinct Old Forester Single Barrel selections. Both decisions were unanimous, but only the 131.1-proof Blue Label Barrel Strength pick has been released.
Released
Blue Label Barrel Strength
131.1 proof
Selected for concentrated flavor, fruit-forward character and unexpectedly manageable heat.
Forthcoming
Black Label Single Barrel
100 proof
Selected for balance, structure and classic Old Forester character. It has not yet been publicly released.
The Black Label’s eventual arrival will complete the two-barrel collaboration first announced by ArkansasLiquor.com in February. For now, the Blue Label gives Arkansas bourbon drinkers their first opportunity to experience the results of that Louisville selection trip.
The barrel once described as an unexpectedly approachable sample above 130 proof has officially arrived in Arkansas.
How the Two-Barrel Story Began
Go back to the Louisville selection room and read how a planned one-barrel pick became a two-barrel Old Forester collaboration.
Reporting note: This article draws on the February Louisville selection report, PurSpirit’s release announcement, Arkansas Barrel Heads posts and attributed tasting notes from David Bohannan and Grant Black.
Please enjoy responsibly. Must be 21 or older to purchase alcohol.
Justin Jones
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