THE BOURBON RESOURCE: OCTOBER 2023
King of Kentucky release, Reader's Choice poll, two reviews
NEWS
We’re light on news this month, but there are some interesting nuggets:
Brown Foreman’s King of Kentucky will hit the shelves this month and won’t last long. Brown Foreman will release just 3,800 bottles of the 16-year bourbon at a retail cost of $300 each. If you find one in the wild, don’t hesitate. They go for at least $2K secondary. When I was a novice (maybe I still am?), I purchased one for $200 and immediately sold it to a friend for the same price. I didn’t think it would amount to much. Duh.
Castle & Key has announced a single barrel program in which it will release bottlings from a different single barrel each week at its Frankfort, KY distillery from Oct. 21 to Dec. 9. $75 retail. I’ve always found the Castle & Key just OK, so I’m anxious to see if these releases up their game.
READERS CHOICE
The Bourbon Resource Readers Choice Award will be part of the December awards newsletter, but you can pick your favorites now. I’ll rerun the poll next month in case someone misses it.
There are five bourbon options from which to choose, all with the same two criteria. The bottle retails for $50 or less and is readily available at most retailers.
Why those criteria? Readers of this newsletter often lament the continued increase in the cost of bourbon and how they’ve been priced out of their former favorites. Blame supply and demand and an out-of-control secondary market that commands $130 and up for a bottle of Blanton’s that retails for half that, and once fetched $600 for a Russell’s 13.
Price increases knocked some excellent bourbons out of the poll. Wild Turkey Rare Breed, my favorite daily drinker, now retails for $54.99. The Elijah Craig Barrel proof series costs $70. McKenna, a nice bourbon that a few years ago cost $29.99, now retails for twice that.
These five bourbons are all easy to get, drinkable, and at a great price. If you don’t like any of these, feel free to write in your fav. The bourbon with the most votes will receive The Bourbon Resource Readers’ Choice Award.
Since I can’t include a write-in within the poll, please click the below “leave a comment” button, and I’ll keep track of other options.
REVIEWS
Note: Lux Row Distillers provided the samples reviewed this month without any special considerations. The Bourbon Resource appreciates Lux Row.
Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbons
(I wish substack would let me wrap type)
115 Proof
MSRP: $79.99
Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbons
A fantastic blend of rye and wheat you should have in your collection
History
This is the first time Lux Row has released this ryed and wheated bourbon.
Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbons
Mash Bill
N/A
Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbons
Let’s taste it:
🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass
👉🏻Nose: Grain, sweet maple, mint, nuts
👉🏻Taste: Caramel, vanilla, cherry
👉🏻Finish: Rye spice, coffee, caramel
Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbons
Summary
This bourbon is a blend of a four-year wheated bourbon and a single barrel four-year rye, which gives a blend of corn, wheat, barley, and rye. Its 45,000-bottle release may make it a little easier to find. The Lux Row press release notes that this blend provides the best of worlds, and there’s no arguing there. The wheated profile takes center stage on the nose and taste, and the spice shows itself on the finish, which is as long as a deep kiss. Yep, it’s that good.
Conclusion – Lux Row Four Grain Double Single Barrel Bourbons
The double single barrel continues a string of Lux Row-winning releases. This bourbon is worth the price and better than those that retail higher. This is a solid buy, and I’ll look for a bottle.
REVIEW
Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in medium toasted American oak barrels. (For the remainder of the review, this will be referred to as the Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon/medium oak for brevity).
96 Proof
MSRP: $49.99
Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey/medium oak
If you like oak, you’ll like this.
History
This is another new Lex Row release that joins the other Daviess County releases --- the Straight Bourbon Whiskey, the Cabernet Sauvignon Finish, and the French Oak Finish.
This is the first time Lux Row has released this ryed and wheated bourbon.
Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey/medium oak
Mash Bill
N/A
Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey/medium oak
Let’s taste it:
🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass
👉🏻Nose: Clove, spice, oak
👉🏻Taste: Oak, cherry licorice, vanilla
👉🏻Finish: Oak, spice, mint, vanilla, citrus
Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey/medium oak
Summary
The Daviess County bourbons don’t get a lot of love. They’re all like the medium oak. They’re solid, everyday drinkers, each with a different flavor profile. If you judged the medium oak on its nose and initial taste, you might find it uninspiring. But the finish makes the flavors pop, especially with some surprising citrus. The distillery will release 18,000 bottles of the ryed and wheated product.
Conclusion – Daviess County Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey/medium oak
Despite the $49.99 MSRP, I’ve seen and purchased Daviess County bourbons at around $41. The oak is certainly pronounced but doesn’t overwhelm. A few friends tasted it and enjoyed it. If you like an oak-laden bourbon, this is a solid buy, especially for those trying to add interesting bottles at a reasonable price to their collection, and we now live in a world where $50 qualifies as reasonable.
That’s it for this month! If you’re an NBA fan, look at the Knicks Film School newsletter, the smartest commentary of all things New York Knicks and NBA basketball. You can click on the below button to learn more.
And our friends at Bourbon Obsessed have a tremendous catalog of bourbon and distillery reviews. You can see more from them here:
Ray Marcano writes and publishes the Bourbon Resource monthly, and he’s president of the 32 Staves Society. He’s a bourbon lover and long-time journalist who freelances for some of the country’s largest media brands. He’s the former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, a two-time Pulitzer juror, and a Fulbright fellow.
Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage ~$35