Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review. It should also be noted that by clicking the buy link in this review our site receives a small referral payment which helps to support, but not influence, our editorial and other costs.
For over 150 years Brown-Forman has been focused on the development of various American whiskeys and other types of spirits, created in-house or acquired over its long history. Best known for big tent whiskeys such as Jack Daniel’s, Old Forester and Woodford Reserve, one minor brand of note in its stable which is the focus of this review today is King of Kentucky.
King of Kentucky was established in 1881 as a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Brown-Forman acquired the brand in 1936 from Selected Kentucky Distillers and, by 1940, converted it to a blended whiskey until it was discontinued in 1968. In 2018, Brown-Forman revived the label paying homage to the brand’s past.
Now on its sixth edition, King of Kentucky each year focuses on the super premium bourbon market, drawing from a single barrel inventory. Each release comes across as a barrel-strength, minimally-filtered proof presentation, and for this go around Brown-Forman Master Distiller Chris Morris chose a single lot of barrels to set aside for the limited-release product from 2007.
“This year’s release of 51 barrels came from one production date, July 19, 2007. All the barrels were aged in Warehouse G at the Brown-Forman Distillery,” noted Morris at the time of the release. “This showcases what a difference each individual barrel has at this extreme age on the color, flavor, and aroma of this wonderful whiskey.”
This 16 year old Kentucky bourbon, bottled at 125.8 proof, had a limited release in October of approximately 3,800 bottles, each priced at $299.99. Its bottle featured what’s described as “a premium embossed label with a stamp border and details,” and each bottle came enclosed in a decorative canister that tells the story of its origin through the details on the front and back of its package.
As a further nod to its more premium status, all the bottles were filled, bottled, wax-dipped, and numbered by hand with details including proof, age, warehouse location, lot number, serial number, and barrel number. While the majority of this year’s volume remained in Kentucky, the expression was also made available in limited quantities in Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, North Carolina, Metro New York, Ohio, and Tennessee.
Tasting Notes: King Of Kentucky Bourbon 2023 Edition
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Vital Stats: 16 year old Kentucky straight bourbon; 125.8 proof; mashbill 79% corn, 11% rye, 10% malted barley; 3,800 bottles released; $299.99 MSRP.
Appearance: You see the age reflected in the glass almost immediately. A somewhat darker brownish-orange, showcasing what 16 years in barrel does. Not much in legs with this one.
Nose: Those warm, spicy vanilla notes one expects from an older bourbon are there even before I zone into to sniff near the glass. There’s some oak there, but it is pretty muted for a venerable American whiskey like this. Interchanging with these are hints of orange marmalade and, dare I say, some candy corn.
Palate: This zings onto the palate right away, the initial heat of this older, cask strength bourbon immediately noticeable. Cinnamon reaches across the tongue in short order, joined by graham crackers, chocolate, madeira and, in a very minor fashion, oak and vanilla. The finish is long and hardy, reminding you even old timers have some punch left in them.
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