{"product_id":"old-forester-birthday-bourbon-2004-release","title":"Old Forester Birthday Bourbon - 2004 Release","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDistilled 1995. Released September 2nd, 2004. A 12-year small-batch selection from the Birthday Bourbon series' early founding era — over 20 years out of primary distribution.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eOld Forester Birthday Bourbon is released once a year on September 2nd — the birthday of George Garvin Brown, who founded Old Forester in 1870 as America's first commercially bottled bourbon. Each edition is a unique small-batch of 12-year-old barrels chosen by the master distiller, making each vintage unrepeatable.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003cp\u003eThe 2004 is notable for its documented distillation year of 1995 — one of the few early Birthday Bourbon vintages with confirmed provenance for the specific spirit inside. At over 20 years out of primary distribution, the 2004 is among the rarest surviving Birthday Bourbon vintages. For collectors building a complete series, this represents one of the hardest early-decade editions to source.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003ch3\u003eSpecs\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cul\u003e   \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eDistillery:\u003c\/strong\u003e Old Forester Distilling Co., Louisville, Kentucky (est. 1870)\u003c\/li\u003e   \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eStyle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey\u003c\/li\u003e   \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eAge:\u003c\/strong\u003e 12 years\u003c\/li\u003e   \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eDistilled:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1995\u003c\/li\u003e   \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eRelease:\u003c\/strong\u003e September 2nd, 2004 — Annual Birthday Bourbon\u003c\/li\u003e   \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 750ml\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e  \u003cp\u003eBrowse the full \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/woodencork.com\/collections\/old-forester\"\u003eOld Forester collection\u003c\/a\u003e or explore all \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/woodencork.com\/collections\/bourbon\"\u003ebourbon at Wooden Cork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e  \u003ch3\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cul\u003e   \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eWhy is the distillation year of 1995 significant?\u003c\/strong\u003e Birthday Bourbon is assembled from 12-year-old barrels, meaning the 2004 release contains spirit distilled in 1995 and 1992 (for the 12-year component). Knowing the distillation year provides provenance transparency that most bourbon releases don't offer — the 2004 contains documented mid-90s Brown-Forman production.\u003c\/li\u003e   \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eHow rare are early Birthday Bourbon vintages?\u003c\/strong\u003e The series began in the early 2000s before premium bourbon collecting reached its modern scale. Production was smaller, many bottles were consumed rather than saved, and 20+ years of attrition have reduced surviving stocks dramatically. The 2003–2006 vintages are consistently the hardest to source in the entire series.\u003c\/li\u003e   \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eWhat is the Birthday Bourbon series?\u003c\/strong\u003e Released annually on September 2nd — founder George Garvin Brown's birthday — each edition is a unique small-batch of 12-year-old barrels. No two vintages share the same barrel selection or proof.\u003c\/li\u003e   \u003cli\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eIs this a good collector's bottle?\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes — documented early-series vintages from a historically significant American bourbon brand with confirmed distillation year provenance are consistently among the most valued Birthday Bourbon editions.\u003c\/li\u003e \u003c\/ul\u003e  \u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e {   \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",   \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",   \"mainEntity\": [     { \"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Why is the distillation year of 1995 significant?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Knowing the distillation year provides provenance transparency most bourbon releases don't offer. The 2004 contains documented mid-90s Brown-Forman production.\" } },     { \"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"How rare are early Birthday Bourbon vintages?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"The series began before premium bourbon collecting reached its modern scale. Production was smaller, many bottles were consumed, and 20+ years of attrition have reduced stocks dramatically. The 2003-2006 vintages are consistently the hardest to source.\" } },     { \"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"What is the Birthday Bourbon series?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Released annually on September 2nd, each edition is a unique small-batch of 12-year-old barrels. No two vintages share the same barrel selection or proof.\" } },     { \"@type\": \"Question\", \"name\": \"Is this a good collector's bottle?\", \"acceptedAnswer\": { \"@type\": \"Answer\", \"text\": \"Yes \\u2014 documented early-series vintages with confirmed distillation year provenance are consistently among the most valued Birthday Bourbon editions.\" } }   ] } \u003c\/script\u003e","brand":"Old Forester","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49128328528124,"sku":"old-forester-birthday-2004","price":2298.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0800\/6605\/2348\/files\/old-forester-2004.jpg?v=1779559652","url":"https:\/\/thebourbonvaulthq.com\/products\/old-forester-birthday-bourbon-2004-release","provider":"THE BOURBONVAULT HQ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}