Brown-Forman, makers of Old Forester and Woodford Reserve is dusting off one of its old namesakes with the upcoming release of King of Kentucky, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The once dead brand is coming back to life with a limited release 14-year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The new release is now expected to hit store shelves on June 29. The bad news for 49 states is that this first release will only be available in Kentucky.
This initial collection of 16 barrels yielded about 30% bourbon whiskey after the Angels had their share for a net of around 1,000 bottles. The mashbill was made with 79% corn, 11% rye and 10% malted barley. The proof for the release will vary by barrel but expect between 125° to 135° Proof
The History of 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.
“Given Brown-Forman’s 148 year history of crafting great Kentucky Bourbon, it is a memorable event to bring back to life a long retired brand and to introduce it to a new generation of aficionados,” said Master Distiller Chris Morris. “King of Kentucky will provide Whiskey connoisseurs with a rare look into Brown-Forman’s rich barrel archives.”
Stay Informed: Sign up here for the Distillery Trail free email newsletter and be the first to get all the latest news, trends, job listings and events in your inbox.
King of Kentucky will be an annual release of a single barrel inventory and feature a barrel-strength, minimally-filtered proof presentation.
Due to the rarity of these barrels, there will be no defined annual volume. Just like the extra time it takes for the liquid to age, the package will also show a personal craftsmanship. It will feature handwritten details including proof, age, warehouse location, lot number, serial number, barrel number, and be hand-signed by Master Distiller Chris Morris.
Tasting Notes Provide by Brown-Forman
Color: Deep Chestnut
Aroma: Rich oak with intense dark chocolate and burnt caramel sweetness balanced with fresh leather and spearmint spice notes atop layers of tropical fruit (banana, pineapple, citrus).
Taste: Dark chocolate and fudge coat dark cherry notes with a refreshing range of aromatic spice character (spearmint, cedar, cardamom).
Finish: Long and spicy
King of Kentucky, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is non-chill filtered at 125° Proof / 62.5% ABV with a suggested retail price of $199 per 750ml bottle.
King of Kentucky, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Please help to support Distillery Trail. Sign up for our Newsletter, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
