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Whiskey Review: Castle & Key The Untold Story of Kentucky Whiskey, Chapter 1

We review Castle & Key The Untold Story of Kentucky Whiskey, Chapter 1. It's the first in a series that highlights contributions by Black people in American whiskey.

OVERALL RATING

7
$149.99
  • Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer.
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The Untold Story of Kentucky Whiskey, Chapter 1

Tasting Notes

About:

Appearance:
Amber color, with watery legs on the side of the glass.
Nose:
At only 10% rye, I wouldn’t consider this to be a high-rye bourbon. But rye clearly comes through on the nose, with pepper and grass-tinged spiciness. Behind that, you get a big, ol’ snout-full of traditional Kentucky bourbon. I smell honey, brown sugar, and nice, oaky vanilla.
Palate:
This is a gentle and sweet bourbon, with a surprisingly long finish. You’ll taste black tea, buttery toast, and candied cherries. The cinnamon spiciness returns with the languid finish, providing just the slightest whisper of Red Hots candy on the tip of your tongue.
Finish:
Comments:
Castle & Key presumably donated two barrels to this project, since 425 bottles were produced in total. It’s an admirable first step toward funding the new scholarship – which is open for the initial batch of applications through March 2022. More importantly, Castle & Key committed to releasing future chapters in the story, as well. The bottom line is that this is a good whiskey in support of a good cause, and it comes with a worthwhile story to tell your friends when you pour it from your home bar. I look forward to “reading” future chapters in the series.rn

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.

Scott Bernard Nelson

Scott Bernard Nelson is a writer, actor, and whiskey reviewer based in Portland, Oregon. While currently working in higher education, he previously dedicated 22 years to journalism, covering impactful events such as 9/11 in Manhattan, crossing into Iraq with U.S. Marines, and contributing to The Boston Globe's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of abuse in the Catholic Church, which inspired the film "Spotlight." Since 2019, Scott has shared his insights as a whiskey reviewer for The Whiskey Wash.  

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