KO Distilling was founded in 2013 by Bill Karlson and John O’Mara. In 2015, the distillery opened their doors in Manassas, VA with their first aged whiskey hitting the market in 2016. Bare Knuckle Straight Bourbon Whiskey is their oldest aged offering to date at two years old.

Its youth is readily apparent as the nose brings forth a lot of grain and young oak. Corn leads the way with soft wheat, crisp apple, and a layer of young oak lingering behind. Sweet corn and vanilla form the majority of the palate with a thin layer of caramel hiding beneath. The finish again brings forward the youth of the bourbon with grain and wood dominating along with a slight dose of heat.

This is a young bourbon and it readily shows its age. The youthful notes are apparent throughout the sip. However youth isn’t necessarily a connotation for bad, and it will be interesting to see what a few additional years in the barrel brings forth for this line. In the meantime I’m looking forward to using this to mix up some cocktails that call for a more of a grain forward profile.

The sample used for this review was provided at no cost courtesy of KO Distilling. We thank them for the sample and for allowing us to review it with no strings attached.