Bourbon

Bourbon Review: Castle & Key Small Batch Bourbon Batch 1

We review batch 1 of Castle & Key's inaugural bourbon. It sold out at the distillery door in minutes, though more batches are available for purchase.

OVERALL RATING

8
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Castle & Key Small Batch Bourbon Batch 1 (image via Suzanne Bayard)

Tasting Notes

About:

Aged for four years in new American oak, 49% ABV, mash bill: 73% white corn, 17% malted barley, and 10% rye, SRP $50/750ml bottle but reselling for around $300/750ml.
Appearance:
Pale golden amber.
Nose:
Opens with aromas of the fall: sweet caramel corn, hay, and baking spices. The aroma is moderate in strength and quite appealing. As it opens in the glass, floral notes unfurl into fresh rose and geranium.
Palate:
On the palate, it opens more savory than the sweet aromas would suggest. There’s a meaty character like rare roast beef over more notes of sweet caramel and butter toffee. The mouthfeel comes off as peppery with a gentle astringency. I enjoy the lingering warmth and buttery caramel note which morphs into a hint of herbal bitterness on finish that is quite pleasant. With a dash of water, the aromatics take on a maple sugar and cola spice note. This is quite pleasant.
Finish:
Comments:
There’s promise to Castle & Key if this is their first release! The Castle & Key Small Batch Bourbon Batch 1 is delicious with intriguing and unusual aromatics that elevate it above sweeter or more bombastic whiskies on the market. The length of the finish leaves a bit to be desired as do the cohesiveness of the aromatics. I think it’s an excellent first release and look forward to new releases with more age as the years progress.rnrnBest of luck securing a bottle of Batch 1 as it sold out at the distillery in minutes. Fortunately, subsequent batches are available for a more reasonable entry fee.

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Suzanne Bayard

Suzanne Bayard struck out to the West Coast with her now husband almost a decade ago to explore the intersection of wine and policy in its world-class wine regions. She manages a Portland, OR bottle shop by day as the wine buyer and newsletter editor. She is also the Director of the Deep Roots Coalition, an organization of 30 Willamette Valley wineries that educate on and promote dry farming and sustainable practices. She joined the Whiskey Wash to explore two other passions: writing and whiskey.

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