BOTTLE DETAILS

• DISTILLER: Brown-Forman
• MASH BILL: 79% Corn | 11% Rye | 10% Malted Barley
• AGE: 16 years
• YEAR: 2024
• PROOF: 130.4 (65.2% ABV)
• MSRP: $349.99
• BUY ONLINE: Available only at retail and just 5,600 bottles came from the 63 barrels harvested for this release. According to Brown-Forman, “While the majority of this year’s volume will remain in Kentucky, the expression will also be available in limited quantities in Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Metro New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas.”

STEVE’S NOTES

SHARE WITH: All bourbon fans, especially those who like high proof, and doubly so for those who love the formerly named “Early Times mashbill” from this venerable distillery.

WORTH THE PRICE: For a 16-year-old whiskey of such high quality, you can’t dispute that this liquid deserves an ultra-premium price, but $349.99 is beyond my budget. Were I to buy one (as if I’d even find one!), it would be for an ultra-special occasion. Doubtless, many won’t even blink at that cost.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bottle if you can get it. You’ll not be disappointed.

OVERALL: Just like a monarch ascending many steps toward his throne, the price of this annual release keeps going up. Its 14-year-old first release in 2018 cost $199.99. One year later, a 15-year release jumped to $249.99, and the 2020 release held at that price point and age. By 2023, the 16-year release jumped to $299.99, and now it’s cruised to a peak of $349.99. It’s the way of the whiskey world right now, so no one’s rending any garments over this price. Still, a $150 premium over its launch price reflects BF’s keen sense of what the market will bear. It’s unlikely that, when this liquid went into the barrel in 2007, anyone had any idea its bottled contents would warrant a king’s ransom to buy. Good thing that’s flat-out delicious.

A bit of nerdiness: When barreled in 2007, the whiskey was 125 proof. After 16 years of aging, the proof of the blend rose only 5.4 points. Since those barrels came from warehouses G and J, I wonder if barrels from G, which is not heat cycled, had lower floor, lower proof barrels that may account for that modest proof increase.

On to the whiskey …

The nose begins with a heavy dose of cherry–think pie (with over-browned crust), pipe tobacco, Lifesavers, etc.–that cleaves a current of bitter chocolate, butterscotch and smoking meat. Where long-aged Scotches deliver abundant delicate fruit and flowers, this intense KoK is like breathing in the aromas of a fresh box of Russell Stover candy while walking through a cigar shop downwind from a BBQ joint.

At 130.4 proof, it tingles without burning, and flavors found on the nose erupt on the palate. Imagine chewing Juicy Fruit gum while sipping old, bold bourbon and you’re on the right track. That this bourbon isn’t overly complex isn’t a drawback. It’s a testament to delicate aging that rendered this liquid virtually without tannins (sorry to you fans of bone-dry geezer drams) and surprisingly silky. The finish is warm and fruity and sprinkled with cardamom, white pepper, cinnamon and charred oak. Just terrific at every turn.

BRAND NOTES

King of Kentucky is an annual release of a single barrel inventory featuring a barrel-strength, minimally filtered proof presentation, with each release and every barrel being unique. For this year’s iteration, master distiller Chris Morris chose two lots of barrels to set aside for the limited-release product from 2007.

“This year’s release of 63 barrels came from the production dates July 19, 2007, and November 15, 2007. All the barrels were aged in Warehouses G and J at the Brown-Forman Distillery,” said Morris. “This showcases what a difference production dates and warehousing can have on barrels hand-crafted in the same year. Plus, the impact that each individual barrel has at this extreme age on the color, flavor, and aroma of this wonderful whiskey.”

Aroma/Nose:  Rich chocolate covered coconut, vanilla bean and caramel coat a layer of caramelized fruit, robust oak, and a hint of malt.

Taste/Flavor:  Dark chocolate, old oak, sweet coconut, malt and rich vanilla cover wood spice.

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.