Caramel | Vanilla | Light oak | Raisin | Black pepper | Light

Stone fruit | Allspice | Caramel | Brown sugar | Sliced apple

Allspice | Light caramel | Sweet | Medium length

Kooper’s Barrel Reserve Bourbon is one of the company’s core offerings, now available beyond on-site distillery sales. It’s distilled by Green River Distilling in Kentucky, and then aged by Kooper Family Whiskey Co. in Texas. The bourbon was created by starting with a 6 year old wheated bourbon and then adding a 4 year old rye-forward bourbon until the company feels “the structure and mouthfeel [hold] together at full strength, no dilution to fall back on.”  

Kooper’s Barrel Reserve Bourbon is an approachable, crowd-pleasing sip from start to finish. It starts with a light aroma of caramel, vanilla, oak, raisin, and black pepper. The midpoint has stone fruit, allspice, caramel, brown sugar, and sliced apple. And the finish brings a wave of allspice up front, bolstered by caramel for a sweet, medium-length finish.

Ultimately, Kooper’s Barrel Reserve is an agreeable, fruit-forward sip that’s impossible to dislike, but not unique by any means. At the price point, it’s a get-what-you-pay-for bourbon that scratches the sweet-spicy barrel proof itch, but isn’t overly powerful in any direction.