Burnt caramel | Coconut flakes | Dark hot chocolate | Aged oak | Faint cinnamon stick | Vanilla | Syrup soaked raisins | Touch of ethanol | Rich scents

Cinnamon syrup | Red velvet cake | Rye spice | Peppery oak | Raisins | Chocolate | Intense

Rye spice | Leather | Aged oak | Dry chocolate cake | Lingering spice

King of Kentucky has cemented itself as one of the most consistent great tasting bourbons year after year ever since Brown-Forman began releasing it in 2018. The 2024 version marks the seventh edition for the brand, and like the 2023 release, it again features a 16 year age statement. Unlike last year, the 2024 release goes up $50, now sporting a $350 price tag.

The release consists of two lots of barrels to set aside for the limited release product from 2007. Master Distiller Chris Morris states that “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. This showcases what a difference production dates and warehousing can have on barrels hand-crafted in the same year.” The company additionally states in their press release that “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.”

The sip opens on a cornucopia of rich scents that instantly wow. Classic scents in the form of burnt caramel, aged oak, cinnamon stick, and vanilla are enhanced by coconut flakes, dark hot chocolate, and syrup soaked raisins. There’s a touch of ethanol, but it’s to be expected at this proof and doesn’t hinder the overall aroma. The palate is intense, delivering bold, gripping flavors that showcase the whiskey’s time spent in the barrel. A trio of spices is delivered thanks to cinnamon syrup, rye spice, and peppery oak, which stop short of totally overpowering the midpoint, allowing chocolate, raisins, and red velvet cake to pull through. The finish is more straightforward, delivering spicy rye, leather, aged oak, and a dry chocolate cake note before a warming lingering spice envelopes your mouth for minutes on end.

King of Kentucky is one of those bourbons that gets a lot of resentment due to the fact that, while it's a consistently great barrel proof bourbon, it’s so limited in production and distribution that few get the chance to try it. I can’t blame people for feeling this way either, because year after year, this is one of the most consistent barrel proof bourbons that can hold its own with most releases. While this year’s finish holds it back from being a perfect pour, I wish more bourbon drinkers had the opportunity to try this year’s release because it truly embodies the heights a high proof, well-aged bourbon is capable of achieving.