Brown-Forman
Brown-Forman
63.5%
17 Years
One of the most revered, sought-after annual releases in the American whiskey scene, this is the 2025 release of King of Kentucky, the crown jewel in the Brown-Forman portfolio. 2025's is the eighth annual King of Kentucky release. This time around, it's a 17-year-old single-barrel bourbon, with proofs ranging from 124.4 to 135 (our sample was 127 proof). Brown-Forman Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris selected 63 barrels from the fourth floor of Warehouse J and the first floor of Warehouse G at the Brown-Forman Distillery, resulting in 5,000 bottles released. Each bottle is wax-dipped, hand-numbered, packaged inside a custom canister and has a suggested retail price of $399. The mashbill is 79% corn, 11% rye and 10% malted barley.
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Rich, beautiful, smooth and sweet nose that doesn't betray any hints of the high proof. Cherry cola, buttercream frosting, almonds, blueberry, sassafras, gingerbread and clove. A couple drops of water adds more fruits — peach, candied orange — and a cocoa powder note.
Nice thick viscosity on the palate. Pleasant dry oak and tannin meets vanilla, caramel, cherry cordials, cola, root beer, gingerbread, cinnamon, orange peel, leather and a big hit of clove. Once again, a couple drops of water adds more fruit (cherry, peach), plus lovely toffee, a touch of cookie dough and a big chocolate-covered almond note.
Spice-heavy finish with cinnamon, clove, tobacco, allspice, chocolate-covered cherries and candied ginger. The introduction of water really transforms the finish. Some of the spice (clove, most notably) remains, but it's followed by oak, toffee and sugar cookie.
Beautiful, bruising bourbon that balances big sweet rich notes with a whole lot of spice and dry tannin. I don't add water to every high-proof whiskey I taste, but this is one I'd recommend adding a drop or two to, as it adds more fruit notes as well as a really gorgeous toffee note that mixes dark chocolate with nuttiness, which doesn't quite come through neat.
95
Disclosure: The producer provided this sample to review free of charge, and without expectation of review or rating.
