Deep grape | Raspberry | Prune | Seasoned oak | Leather

Raisin | Cranberry | Charred oak | Dark chocolate | Well balanced | Juicy

Prune | Black cherry | Dates | Light dry charred oak

15 Stars was started by father-and-son team Rick and Ricky Johnson, who bottle their whiskeys at Bardstown Bourbon Co. in Bardstown, Kentucky. Their whiskeys began hitting the market in 2022 and so far have been relatively high aged sourced whiskeys originating from an undisclosed distillery or multiple distilleries in Kentucky. The name “15 Stars'' refers to Kentucky as the 15th state on the second United States flag, which included 15 stars and 15 stripes. This history is called upon in various ways within the company’s marketing, including details such as the metal bottle stoppers, which resemble the first U.S. coinage containing 15 stars, engraved by the American artisan Robert Scot.

Finishing bourbon in port barrels is not new, as it is one of the most common styles of wine finished bourbons. Port can come in different styles, ruby (young and fruity) being the most common, with tawny (aged in wooden barrels) next, and white (made with white grapes, fermented in wood tanks) following way behind. What makes 15 Stars Three Ports Fine-Aged Bourbon unique (if the name didn’t already give it away) is that it features all three port styles.

Unless you’re a port connoisseur, you may have difficulties tasting each of the distinct port styles in 15 Stars Three Ports Fine-Aged Bourbon, but that’s not to say the blend is messy. Each of the general qualities of the styles of port comes together well, which results in a surprisingly delicate tasting bourbon. The bright fruit notes of a ruby port pop against the darker red fruit and oak notes of a tawny port. The crispness of the white port seems to get lost the most, but with additional visits, it begins to stand out over the darker prune and black cherry notes.

A lot of producers aren’t as successful with their port finishing as they think they are. Port finishing is often overdone to maximize the rich red fruit notes, but it often results in a dry, bitter red wine aftertaste. 15 Stars Three Ports Fine-Aged Bourbon has none of this and does a great job offering a balanced, well-structured finish that capitalizes on the deep, complex notes that can be found in port wines.

For fans of wine-finished bourbons, especially port finished bourbons, 15 Stars Three Ports Fine-Aged Bourbon is very well crafted and does the number one thing any finished bourbon should set out to do: use the finishing barrel to enhance and not replace, to commingle and not overpower. At 105 proof, 15 Stars Three Ports Fine-Aged Bourbon isn’t an overly robust sip, focusing on nuance first and foremost. It’s able to be elegant and flavorful at the same time, an accomplishment most port finished bourbons strive for but rarely accomplish.