Candy corn | Apricot | Browned butter | Raspberry | Vanilla frosting

Honey | Peach | Sweet oak | Lemon zest | Brown sugar

Mixed nuts | Maple syrup | Rye spice | Leather | Astringent oak

The K.Luke brand was created by the husband-and-wife team of Jonathan and Jennifer Maisano and named after their two children, Kaitlyn and Lucas. Jonathan is also a first-level certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. K.Luke Small Batch Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch 15 is a 10 barrel, 1,703 bottle release that combines bourbons from multiple Kentucky and Indiana distilleries and clocks in at just over 118 proof. The company’s blended batches typically include a range of bourbons aged 8-12 years.

Batch 15 opens with a wonderful, expressive, and aromatic aroma, ranging from candy corn and apricot to brown butter, before turning to raspberry and vanilla frosting. Honey and peach lead the palate before turning the reins over to sweet oak and a touch of lemon zest, with brown sugar creating a bridge to the finish. From here, mixed nuts enter, grounding the bourbon. The finish then kicks up light maple syrup and leather, before rye spice takes over completely. It concludes with a mild but noticeable amount of astringent oak.

At this point, K.Luke’s blended batches come to the table with a certain level of quality baked in. Batch 15 is no different. Combining Kentucky and Indiana-sourced bourbons, the result is once again familiar, with flavors interchangeable with previous batches but with just enough distinction. There’s no standout feature in Batch 15, but it delivers a solid, enjoyable sip. Its lingering astringent oak note may turn off some, but oak lovers may think otherwise.