Brown-Forman Corp. began when George Garvin Brown bottled some bourbon and called it Old Forester. Each year the company remembers its beginning with the release of Birthday Bourbon, which has a one-of-a-kind flavor profile.

That's smart marketing, and it's something a family owned business can do easily enough: Pick the birthday of the company's founder, produce a special edition of the lead product, and celebrate founder's day by releasing.  Most companies don't, and I don't understand why.

But Brown-Forman does, and the release of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon has become a big deal. "Every year, Birthday Bourbon is a unique opportunity for lovers of Old Forester to taste a snapshot of bourbon that was laid down over a decade ago. This year's 12-year-old offering serves up a classic Old Forester profile that honors George Garvin Brown's ongoing legacy," said Old Forester Master Taster Melissa Rift.

Old Forester's Birthday Bourbon bottles will be available for purchase nationwide at select retailers.  But some people simply can't get to a "select retailer." I'm thinking of the Reynolds Family, which owns the  150,00 acre Long X Ranch in Kent, Texas. (To get an idea of just how isolated Kent is, check out Google maps.)

For those folks, and, indeed, anyone else bottles will be available at Old Forester Distillery in Louisville via a national sweepstakes running August 24 through August 31, 2023. The sweepstakes allow consumers nationwide a more equal opportunity to purchase the limited-edition expression. Birthday Bourbon bottles will not be sold at the Old Forester Distillery on Sept. 2, the days sweepstakes winners are announced.