King of Kentucky, an ultra-premium Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey, is returning this year with the release of its seventh edition. Hitting shelves early October, the limited-edition expression will mark the seventh anniversary for the brand.
The 2024 expression is a 16-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, featuring a premium embossed label with a stamp border and details. Approximately 5,100 bottles will be produced with a suggested retail price of $349.99. While the majority of this year’s volume will remain in Kentucky, the expression will also be available in limited quantities in Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Metro New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas.
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.
“Reputation alone justifies King of Kentucky’s status as one of the most sought-after Kentucky Straight Bourbons on the market,” said Brown-Forman Master Distiller Chris Morris. “But reputations must not only be earned but defended – and this year’s release is sure to please the palate of every Bourbon aficionado.”
King of Kentucky is an annual release of a single barrel inventory featuring a barrel-strength, minimally-filtered proof presentation, with each release and every barrel being unique. For this year’s iteration, Master Distiller Chris Morris chose two lots of barrels to set aside for the limited-release product from 2007.
“This year’s release of 63 barrels came from the production dates July 19, 2007, and November 15, 2007. All the barrels were aged in Warehouses G and J at the Brown-Forman Distillery,” said Morris. “This showcases what a difference production dates and warehousing can have on barrels hand-crafted in the same year. Plus, the impact that each individual barrel has at this extreme age on the color, flavor, and aroma of this wonderful whiskey.”
Due to the rarity of these barrels, there is no defined annual volume. Just like the extra time it takes for the liquid to mature, King of Kentucky’s package shows a personal craftsmanship. Every bottle comes enclosed in a decorative canister and tells the story of its origin through the details on the front and back of its package. All are filled, bottled, wax-dipped, and numbered by hand with details including proof, age, warehouse location, lot number, serial number, and barrel number, all selected by Master Distiller Chris Morris.
Taste Notes: “Representative Barrel” Barrel #10
Proof: 130.4
Age: 16 years
Aroma/Nose: Rich, chocolate-covered coconut, vanilla bean and caramel coat a layer of caramelized fruit, robust oak, and a hint of malt.
Taste/Flavor: Dark chocolate, old oak, sweet coconut, malt and rich vanilla cover wood spice.
