The two heritage brands unite for the first time on a collectible distiller’s jacket, launching Sept. 2 alongside Old Forester’s annual Birthday Bourbon release

• Old Forester® and Alpha Industries are launching a limited-edition Distiller’s Jacket inspired by bourbon heritage and American craftsmanship.
• The jacket launches Sept. 2 alongside Old Forester’s annual Birthday Bourbon release, celebrating the birthday of founder George Garvin Brown.
• This year’s limited Birthday Bourbon was aged 11 years, bottled at 97 proof and retails for $199.99, available for purchase at select retailers.
• The Distiller’s Jacket will be available in limited quantities for purchase at Alphaindustries.com. 

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Old Forester, the world’s first bottled bourbon born out of Louisville, and Alpha Industries, the original military clothing manufacturer with Knoxville roots, are collaborating to launch a limited-edition distiller’s jacket, reflecting shared passions for craftsmanship, heritage and functionality. To celebrate the collaboration, the limited-edition jacket debuts alongside Old Forester’s annual Birthday Bourbon, a tradition celebrating the birthday of founder George Garvin Brown and the brand’s heritage. 

The Old Forester x Alpha Industries Distiller’s Jacket reimagines a classic piece of American workwear through the world of Kentucky bourbon. Inspired by Alpha Industries’ military archive and Old Forester’s more than 150 years of bourbon-making heritage, the jacket is designed as a modern interpretation of what a distiller would wear on the warehouse floor, combining Alpha Industries’ utilitarian design with details inspired by Old Forester’s barrel-aging process.

Built on Alpha Industries’ N-1 deck-jacket silhouette, the jacket features cotton construction, a dark brown corduroy collar and a garment-washed finish inspired by the materials, textures and character of bourbon making. Additional details include distressed hardware, custom Old Forester woven labels, removable sleeve patch, custom debossed flight ribbon and interior artwork that rewards discovery over time.

“Craftsmanship has been at the core of Old Forester for more than 150 years, so partnering with Alpha Industries, a brand with its own deep tradition of craftsmanship, is a natural fit,” said Caleb Trigo, Assistant Master Distiller, Old Forester. “Debuting this year’s Birthday

Bourbon along with this special jacket feels like a perfect way to honor the philosophy that has defined our bourbon since 1870 and Alpha Industries’ shared American heritage.”

“Old Forester and Alpha come from very different worlds, but there’s a shared philosophy behind the two brands. Both were built around products that had to deliver on quality, function and longevity,” said Matt Pantoja, Chief Brand Officer, Alpha Industries. “We wanted the jacket to reflect that – not simply put two names together, but create something that feels authentic to both histories and gets better with age and wear.” 

The jacket’s debut is the perfect companion to this year’s Old Forester Birthday Bourbon release – an 11-year-old, 97-proof expression drawn from 212 barrels on the third floor of Warehouse B, the oldest warehouse at the Brown-Forman Distillery in Shively. Selected by Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris and Assistant Master Distiller Caleb Trigo, this release has a dark brown sugar color and a uniquely sweet and fruity profile.

Each bottle of Old Forester Birthday Bourbon has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $199.99. The 2026 Birthday Bourbon will also be available in limited quantities at select retailers nationwide.

Tasting Notes:

• Aroma – Classic baking spice, notably zesty ginger with sweet vanilla bean, honey, malted graham cracker with a hint of cherry

• Taste – Warm honey and rich buttery caramel complemented with bold tobacco, herbal notes, and bright cherry character 
• Finish – Toasted oak with subtle notes of graham cracker and lingering herbal mint

The Old Forester x Alpha Industries jacket will be available at Alpha Industries stores in New York City and online at Alphaindustries.com for $250 beginning September 10 in limited quantities.

About Old Forester Bourbon:
Old Forester is Brown-Forman’s founding brand, founded in 1870 by George Garvin Brown. Brown believed Old Forester was so pure and consistent that he sealed it, signed it, and pledged, “There is nothing better in the market.”

Please sip responsibly. 
Old Forester Straight Bourbon Whisky, 48.5% Alc. by Vol., Old Forester Distilling Company, Louisville, Kentucky. OLD FORESTER is a registered trademark. ©2026 Brown-Forman Distillery, Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Alpha Industries:
Founded in 1959 in Knoxville, Tennessee, Alpha Industries began as a contractor manufacturing technical outerwear for the U.S. military. For more than six decades, the brand has evolved from military supplier to global lifestyle brand while remaining rooted in the functional design, durability and authenticity of its original garments. Alpha’s iconic silhouettes—including the MA-1 flight jacket, M-65 field coat and N-2B parka—have moved from military service into music, fashion and global culture, where generations of wearers have adopted and reinterpreted them as their own. Today, Alpha Industries continues to evolve its military heritage through contemporary collections and collaborations across fashion, art, music and entertainment.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Claire Anderson, Zeno Group
Claire.Anderson@zenogroup.com
+1-773-640-0657

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SOURCE Old Forester