Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
Average Price: approx. $32 per 750ml
Alcohol Content: 47% ABV
Why We Like It: One of the most dependable pickups on the market is Elijah Craig. This small batch bourbon is filled with flavors, delivering a great sweet spot drink.
Its smooth and complex character is a great addition to the all-time favorite cocktail Gold Rush but also an excellent sipper, whether neat or straight up.
Castle And Key Bourbon For Sale Tasting Notes
Nose Sweet with a faintly nutty background. While not overly complex on the nose, theres nothing jumping out as seeming off-profile or scary here. Very light oak, some nuttiness, and a splash of white fruits castle and key bourbon for sale .
Taste Sweet and brings forward a light cornbread vibe with some mild oak influence. Theres a praline note that reminds me a bit of a youngish Heaven Hill profile in a good way, and a little honey drizzle on some white fruit castle and key bourbon for sale .
Finish Not quite medium, it sort of rolls of quickly. Good flavors all in all, but nothing gripping. Some vanilla mingles with almond brittle and some young oak.
Castle & Key is a distillery that has had oceans and reams of copy written about it since co-founders Will Arvin and Wes Murry purchased the defunct, derelict site of the Old Taylor Distillery, which had been out of commission since 1972. After buying the site in 2014 and beginning its restoration into a modern distillery, Castle & Key has subsequently produced an array of new products, including some really excellent, punchy gin, and the brands first whiskey, Restoration Rye. But a veritable army of Kentucky bourbon obsessives have been patiently waiting on this release, Castle & Keys first branded Kentucky straight bourbon. There was so much anticipation castle and key bourbon for sale , in fact, that bottles sold out in minutes.
Does Castle And Key Make Bourbon
Castle is a small batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Whiskey. This is the first bourbon distilled and released by Castle & Key under its own brand from the grounds of the historic Old Taylor Distillery, and it is the first proprietary bourbon distilled and released by Castle & Key. This Spring, Castle will release two batches of small batch Bourbon.
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Michters Us*1 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Average Price: approx. $39.99 per 750ml
Alcohol Content: 45.7% ABV
Why We Like It: Another widely available bottle is Michters US*1 a Kentucky Bourbon we highly recommend to anyone who loves Scotch but wants to try something different.
Its the kind of whiskey that gets people hooked on the American way.
Theres no over-the-top or fussiness in this drink due to its nice layers of vanilla, maple, cedar, and tobacco.
Who Owns Castle And Key Bourbon
Will Arvin, the Co-Founder and the Owner of Castle, knew the road to distilling would be difficult after they began restoring the rundown Old Taylor Distillery in 2014. Despite this, the challenge of creating a small-batch bourbon product was what inspired the company to do so.
The castle, built by Colonel Taylor in 1917, can be found on the 113-acre property and is one of the most recognizable structures. The building housed the original distillery, as well as a restaurant and ballroom. During the early days of the distillery, Colonel Taylor was one of the few bourbon makers in the country. He was the first to make rye whiskey as well as the first to produce it. The fire that destroyed Taylors distillery occurred in 1951. In 1958, the distillery was rebuilt and reopened. Despite the fact that the distillery has seen a lot of change over the years, the Colonels dream of creating a tourist destination is once again becoming a reality. A guided tour of the Colonels distillery is available, as is a tasting.
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Best Barrel Proof Bourbon
With up to 140 proof, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is not for the faint of heart, yet it provides strong sweet flavors from nose to finish.
- Distiller: Heaven Hill, Louisville, Kentucky
- Mash bill: 78% corn, 12% malted barley, 10% rye
Pros: Provides a strong ensemble of flavors high proof sweet notes throughout aged 12 years
Cons: High alcohol content may be overpowering for some drinkers, expensive
Before bourbons are bottled, they’re usually “proofed down,” which is simply adding water to lower the alcohol percentage. This isn’t the case with “barrel proof” and “cask strength” bourbons. These high-proof bourbons are great for cocktails when you want to taste the alcohol, but many bourbon aficionados drink them neat when they need a stiff drink.
Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is the best of the barrel-proof bourbons. Typically bottled at between 120 and 140 proof, it has a deep mahogany appearance. Caramel is most potent in the nose, followed by toasted oak, apple, and orange. The intense palate is mainly sweet: vanilla, butterscotch, and caramel. The finish is short, sweet, and warm.
Minnick recommended Elijah Craig Barrel Proof as an excellent bourbon to hunt since it tastes superb and isn’t always available in liquor stores. Kwok said it’s his favorite barrel-proof. He especially liked the sweetness and dominant flavors in the higher-proof batches.
Best Budget Bourbon Under $20
Costing less than $20 a bottle, Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon has a smooth, well-rounded taste that works just as well in a cocktail as it does on its own.
- Distiller: Heaven Hill Distillery, Louisville, Kentucky
- Age: Undisclosed, but at least 4 years
- Mash bill: 78% corn, 12% malted barley, 10% rye
Pros: Versatile and affordable well-rounded and smooth, pleasant finish
Cons: Flavor isn’t as complex as more expensive bourbons
Evan Williams is one of the many value brands produced by Heaven Hill Distillery. Though bottled-in-bond is becoming increasingly popular at other distilleries, Heaven Hill is best known for its BIB bourbons. The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 was created to keep contaminants out of bourbon, a significant problem at the time. To receive the BIB designation, a bourbon must be the product of one distillery, one distiller, and one distillation season aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least 4 years and bottled at 100 proof.
Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond, commonly referred to as Evan Williams White Label, has a tawny appearance. The nose is strongly vanilla and caramel with a bit of oak. The vanilla dominated the palate along with a smokiness, but it didn’t seem as complex as pricier bourbons. I especially liked the long, warm finish. This is a smooth drinker.
Along with Wild Turkey 101, Evan Williams BIB had the highest average rating in our blind taste test. Testers described it as well-rounded and smooth.
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Hudson Baby Bourbon Whiskey
Average Price: approx. $40 per 375ml
Alcohol Content: 46% ABV
Why We Like It: Youre probably surprised to see this bottle, but Huson Baby Bourbon can give a unique experience worthy of a place on this list.
Hudson Whiskey is the original innovator, a whiskey as bold as New York. It shook things up when it started a movement here, and now, once again, we will set the tone for what New York whiskey can be.
Paul Coffey, Hudson Whiskey Senior Brand Manager.
Aside from the fact that its easily available, its also an easy drink. We like the well-balanced flavors and the smoothness of every sip.
Its light, sweet, and beginner-friendly but a little pricey.
Release Date & Availability
The 2022 Castle & Key Small Batch Bourbon Batch 1 release will become available at the distillery starting March 26th. Be prepared for a long wait. The good news is that they serve drinks and cocktails on the premises.
Next, it will roll out through distribution channels and become available in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin in April.
For Direct-to-Consumer shipping, or bottles for sale online, the spirit is available for select markets including Alaska, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Washington D.C., and various military bases.
The 2022 Castle & Key Bourbon Batch 2 release is popping up will become available starting in May, 2022.
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Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
Average Price: around $25 per 750ml
Alcohol Content: 50.5% ABV
Why We Like It: Widely available in 1L, 750ml, and minis, this high-proof, high-quality, yet budget-friendly bourbon is as impressive as premium expressions.
As one of the brands popular expressions, it delivers a consistently exceptional pour thats smooth and flavorful you can enjoy in various ways.
Its classic flavors and versatile characteristics make it an ideal choice for any occasion.
Best Budget Bourbon Under $30
If you want complex flavor without breaking the bank, Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon offers a pleasant burst of flavor while remaining smooth.
- Distiller: Wild Turkey, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
- Age: 6 to 8 years
- Mash bill: 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley
Pros: Affordable balances smoothness and complexity spice and citrus notes make it suitable for Old Fashioneds
Cons: The bold spices may be too much for some
If Evan Williams BIB isn’t complex enough for you, Wild Turkey 101 is another great value option that’s only about $6 more. It’s been on the market for over 60 years and is known for its bold, spicy flavors, thanks to its rye content. Most bourbons are made with rye, but Wild Turkey 101 has more than most.
Wild Turkey 101 has a tawny appearance similar to Evan Williams. Vanilla and baking spices come through on the nose and stay true on the palate. It provides the perfect balance of smoothness and bite, just enough so you know you’re drinking good bourbon. The flavors that stand out are caramel and nutmeg. More flavors come out in the lingering finish, including orange peel. I could see this being a good bourbon for Old Fashioneds.
“There’s not much better than the ‘Kickin’ Chicken,'” said Johnson referring to Wild Turkey’s nickname. “It’s got a great spice level. There’s enough complexity to keep it interesting.”
Minnick also recommended Wild Turkey 101 as a great value bourbon.
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Castle And Key Small Batch Bourbon For Sale
Castle and Key Small Batch Bourbon is a unique and limited edition bourbon that is perfect for any bourbon lover. This bourbon is made with a blend of two different bourbons, each aged for four years in new American white oak barrels. The result is a smooth and complex flavor that is perfect for sipping neat or on the rocks. This bourbon is limited in quantity and is only available for purchase at select retailers.
How Many Barrels Are Aging At The Castle And Key Distillery
Castle and Key Distillery is home to thousands of barrels of aging whiskey. The barrels are stored in a variety of locations, including in the main warehouse, in the rickhouse, and in the barrelhouse. The number of barrels aging at the distillery is constantly changing, as new barrels are brought in and old barrels are bottled.
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What’s The Best Way To Drink Bourbon
The knee-jerk response is “however you most enjoy it.” There are no rules to bourbon drinking, but the most common ways are neat , on the rocks , and with a bit of water.
I recommend first trying a bourbon neat. From there, you can decide how you want it. A little water, just a few drops, will unlock new flavors, especially in higher-proof bourbons. A large ice cube will cool the bourbon and melt slowly to avoid diluting it too much.
Generally, though, bourbon drinkers frown upon shooting bourbon or mixing it with soda.
Check out our full article on how to drink bourbon.
Makers Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
Average Price: approx. $21 per 750ml
Alcohol Content: 45% ABV
Why We Like It: Available in most liquor stores, this is a great bottle for a great price.
While not as impressive as some of the worlds best whiskeys, it still manages to get the job done with its impeccable on-the-rocks pour and Manhattan-base character.
The mellow hints of sour cherry and dried grains are followed by salted caramel with a dash of spice on the palate.
The finish is a bit lighter, with notes of dark cherry and soft spices.
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Castle And Key Small Batch Bourbon Batch 5
- Straight bourbon whiskey produced by Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfort, KY
- Mash bill of 73% white corn, 10% rye, 17% malted barley
- Distilled in a Vendome copper column still
- 60 barrels blended in this batch
- Minimum age of 4 years
- Caramel apple, baked peach, mint, and toasted walnut on the nose the palate shows buttered toffee, salted peanut, graham cracker, and cinnamon before finishing with cracked black pepper and eucalyptus
- Non-chill filtered 50% ABV
Castle & Key takes a vintage approach to its bourbon blends, emphasizing the best expression of the barrels over a consistent flavor profile from batch to batch.
2022 marks the introduction of bourbon from Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfurt, Kentucky, with the release of small batches throughout the year. Blended from a pod of 60 barrels, this batch of straight bourbon whiskey contains a mash bill of 73% white corn, 10% rye, and 17% malted barley, and was aged a minimum of 4 years. Aromas of Caramel apple, baked peach, mint, and toasted walnut precede a palate of buttered toffee, salted peanut, graham cracker, and cinnamon. Cracked black pepper and herbaceous eucalyptus linger on the finish. Each blended batch of this bourbon highlights different characteristics of Castle & Keys developing house style which emphasizes the finest expressions of American whiskey over a singular profile. Non-chill filtered 50% ABV.
What Is A Bourbon Mash Bill
Bourbon is made with different grains. The grain percentages used to create a bourbon make up the mash bill. All bourbons have a mash bill with at least 51% corn. There’s also usually malted barley and either rye or wheat.
Most bourbons use rye as a secondary grain. According to Minnick, rye typically imparts different spices to the nose and palate of a bourbon. For instance, high rye bourbons tend to have cinnamon notes.
Minnick has found that high barley bourbons offer more spicy nutmeg notes. While wheated bourbons tend to impart caramel, though charred oak barrels give all bourbons a degree of caramel flavoring.
If you are looking for new bourbons, the mash bill is an excellent place to start. Look for bourbons that have a similar mash bill to those you like.
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Best $50 To $100 Bourbon
- Mash bill: 78% corn, 12% malted barley, 10% rye
Pros: Sweet, honey-like flavor aged 10 years excellent sipping bourbon
Cons: Expensive, may be hard to find, might be too harsh for some palates
Henry McKenna Single Barrel is another Heaven Hill BIB bourbon. Named after an Irish immigrant who adapted his family’s whiskey recipe to the grains available in Kentucky, Henry McKenna Single Barrel has won several whiskey competitions, including Best in Show Whiskey at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
McKenna’s tawny coloration is lighter than its 10-year aging would suggest. The vanilla, caramel, and oak aromas come through. The charred oak is especially strong upon first taste. A honey-like sweetness also greets your taste buds. I found it smooth, and the spices weren’t too sharp. The finish was long, sweet, and had pleasant spice levels. I like sipping this bourbon because of the flavor journey it takes you on.
Johnson and Kwok both liked Henry McKenna, but they expressed sticker shock over its current price of about $70.
Henry McKenna finished in the middle of the pack in our taste test. Several testers liked the sweet and honey-like flavor, though two were struck by the harsh alcohol bite on the palate.
How We Test Bourbon
For this guide, I also consulted
I also spent 5 days on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail touring eight distilleries and talking to experts along the way, including master distillers.
I tasted over 80 bourbons and assessed each based on their color, nose, palate, and finish, assigning a score to the overall taste.
Lastly, I enlisted the help of 11 friends who self-identify as “bourbon lovers.” I chose 10 expert-recommended bourbons and put them in Mason jars labeled A to J, so participants were blind to the bourbon they were tasting. I had them rate each of the bourbons on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is “disgusting,” 5 is “good,” 6 is “very good,” 7 is “great,” and 10 is “unsurpassable.” Here are the bourbons and their ratings:
| Bourbon |
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Best Bourbon For Old Fashioneds
- Mash bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% malted barley
Pros: Affordable great in Old Fashioneds smooth flavor with a strong spice level
Cons: Spice level may be overpowering for some
A basic Old Fashioned has five ingredients: bourbon, simple syrup or a sugar cube, Angostura bitters, ice, and a twist of orange peel for garnish. In our guide to bourbon cocktails, our expert recommends using a high-rye bourbon. With its 18% rye content, Old Forester 100 fits the bill.
On its own, this auburn-colored bourbon gives off butterscotch and anise aromas. The butterscotch continues to the palate and brings toasted oak, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It goes down smooth and has a medium, spicy finish. The spices make it a good choice for an Old Fashioned.
Old Forester 100 is Johnson’s go-to bourbon for Old Fashioneds. “It’s balanced,” he said. “For whatever reason, I just think it really gets along with the Angostura and a little bit of Demerara Syrup.”
While Johnson notes that the spice level is decent yet not over the top, some of our testers found the spice to be overpowering.
Minnick calls Old Forester 100 “a fantastic bourbon,” though he prefers Old Forester 1920 for sipping. Kwok was also a fan of the 1920.