King of Kentucky 15 Year Bourbon (2019 Release)

I've been drinking bourbon longer than I've been allowed to drink it. My first pour was in middle school and it was a Pappy 20 year. I've been drinking regularly for at least 14 years and I like to think I've had some pretty good bourbons over the years. Folks - there's a new king! One look at the glass and you instantly know you're in for a high proof old bourbon. It's dark with slow lingering legs. The nose is that rich wood-soaked leather nose that I never get on bourbons under 12 and generally not until 15 or even 20+ years. You can smell the rickhouse where this sat for 15 years like you were on a tour of brown-forman's. However, there's that wonderful sweat bourbon nose that when mixed with the leathers and oaks creates an almost red fruit like note. Perhaps over ripe apples and even dare I say a touch of pear. It is almost candy like element, almost a red apple drizzled in caramel. Then there's vanilla just wafting over everything else, soft, mellowing, and subtle enough to now overwhelm but strong enough to be unmistakable. The alcohol is there but it never comes out and bites your nose, instead it almost plays with the floral and citrus fruit notes and brings them out. A drop of water completely ends that alcohol note (not ideal) and brings out the mellow sweetness with a perfect balance with the oak. A second drop of water and I get an almost bubble gum (bubble yum) like note. Very nice shift in how the sweat notes come out and at the very very finish a touch of mint. The taste is leather, old rich antique like oak notes, crème brûlée, fruity esters that seem so connected with the oak I can't pull them apart but that combination is absolutely perfect. A drop of water brings out cream, the whole mouth becomes creamy and rich. Heavy oak...but not that young cheap oak you'll so often find on 5 and even 10-year-old bourbons. This is that oak you can almost taste when smelling a 100-year-old oak table. The water starts to bring together a spice and perhaps a touch of chocolate (I didn't get that the first time I had a pour or even second). Adding a second drop of water I get something that is a less sour or less citrus apple cinnamon pie like flavor. And of course, vanilla all throughout is stepping in. As I keep bringing it down to try and explore, I start to pick up on nutty notes, not a peanut for sure. Perhaps walnut or maybe a touch of almond. Oh, almost done and now I'm getting some kind of shoe varnish remover like note...hard to explain it but it's absolutely everything I dream of in truly old bourbon. The finish on this one lasts and lasts and lasts. It leaves a bourbon burn and coats the tongue with leather and oak and spice. I'm sure there will be those who find this one over oaked. I'm sure some will find it a bit dry. I myself do tend towards heavy oak, but I want a sweat balance with that oak. This is a bit drier than where I tend to go, but the king has found a unique and wonderful place. This is a dram that requires hours of your time. I'm writing this review a bit quickly as I wanted to get as many notes out as possible, but this one can take upward of an hour to fully open up in the glass and water does amazing and special things with each drop bringing out unique flavors. As these are single barrels my barrel might be completely unique vs yours. With the heat cycle aging I'm told one of the barrels only yielded 6 bottles, meanwhile this one produced 90. I expect there will be some really special variance bottle to bottle so be aware they may not all be like this one. If you are a lover of older bourbon, if 12 years if where you think a bourbon should start. This is your bourbon. If you like younger bourbon, I strongly recommend you look elsewhere as this is both expensive, hard to find, and frankly it wasn't made for you. Cheer. And long live the king.

There is a stretch of country road along side Glenns Creek in central KY that has three distilleries within about five miles. Near the midpoint of the stretch is a tavern/cafe named The Stave. Foods good but for purposes of this review. the bourbon list is incredible, maybe 200 selections. 1oz pours are mostly reasonable in price. King of KY was 22 for an oz. Jim Rutledge is know to have said that he enjoys a nominal pour and then just sniff it for the evening. This is right up his alley! The pour came in a 2oz shot glass and was a dark tobacco color. The legs were thick and beefy hanging on the glass. The aroma was incredible led by brown sugar and morphing to citrus one time, maple the next, then cinnamon. Always a little leather and oak in the background. Each whiff a tad different. I have never enjoyed sniffing a bourbon so much. The palate is heavy on the brown sugar in a creme brulee sort of way. It's chewy and the flavors linger. Incredibly complex, perfectly aged. For me, it's the perfect bourbon and lives up to the hype.

Bottle 91/94 66.3% Nose- Brown sugar; followed by a wave of heavy, dark oak; leather; rich caramel; tobacco; candy sweetness Palate- Wave of drying oak initially; followed by baking spices; rich caramel; aged leather; Spanish peanuts; sweetened vanilla Finish- Long, drying and spicy finish with notes of aged oak; tobacco leaves; and vanilla sweetness Not for the faint of heart. Only an experienced bourbon drinker will appreciate this one. Nothing sweet about it, it’s all oak, leather and heavy barrel aromas and flavors. Initially I got a ton of ethanol on the nose, but some more time in the glass revealed more and more aromas. The palate dries the mouth out immediately, and the drinker is assaulted with heavy oak, baking spices, Spanish peanuts and a bit of sweet vanilla near the end. The finish is, of course, long as hell. More notes of oak and tobacco, with a faint sweetness at the very end. I could see many bourbon lovers knocking down the door for this one. Not exactly my cup of tea, but I get it.

The nose immediately reminds me of bourbon from the '60s. Leathery and chewy. Old rubber gaskets. Which is good because I love the smell of old rubber gaskets. The initial taste brings tears to my eyes. Not because it's amazing but because of the heat. Not in a bad way. Just instant. It doesn't taste like old dusty-shelved whiskey, which is disappointing because I love old dusty-shelved whiskey. After the heat subsides I'm left with a long cinnamon-cherry finish. The second taste is is much less sharp. Burnt caramel intersects the place where chocolate meets leather. Not an everyday sipper but pretty damn delicious.

Barrel 20. Fantastic pour with loads of caramel, brown sugar, nuts, and spices. Nose: Caramel, White Chocolate, Brown Sugar, Marshmallows, Apricots, Pineapples Palate: Caramel, Blackberries, Pecan Pie, Luxardo Cherries, Dark Chocolate, Raspberries, Cinnamon, Peppermint Bark, Raisins, Licorice, Nutmeg, Cloves Finish: Brown Sugar, Pecans, Honey, Brown Sugar, Hazlenuts, Raisins, Tobacco, Leather, Toasted Oak

Excellent. Just decadent. Does not beat you over the head with proof. Does not beat you over the head with crazy complexity. There are a lot of flavors, sure, but they are archetypal classic BOURBON flavors. Just amped to the max. I think this is like, the pinnacle of what a classic bourbon can expect to be. It's great, and at $299 MSRP I would buy it and enjoy it.