Young, Heavily Awarded Whiskey Brand 15 STARS Debuts Sherry Cask Finished Bourbon With Double-Digit Age Statement

15 STARS Sherry Cask Finished Bourbon

15 STARS, a very young but already very successful whiskey brand, announced the release of a new expression, 15 STARS Sherry Cask Finish, on Tuesday.

A blend of 10- and 13-year-old straight bourbon whiskeys from Kentucky and Indiana, 15 STARS Sherry Cask Finish is finished in casks seasoned by sherry wine.

The 115-proof whiskey has already earned an impressive résumé of awards, including Best Bourbon of 2023, Best Finished Bourbon of 2023 and a Double Gold medal at the 2023 New York World Wine and Spirits Competition.

15 STARS Sherry Cask Finish is available as a limited release in select retailers in Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Missouri, Georgia, Florida and Louisiana, as well as online from 15STARS.com. It has a suggested retail price of $179.

15 STARS Sherry Cask Finish Tasting Notes, Via the Brand

Nose: Raisin, dried fig, clove, toffee, marshmallow, crème brûlée and leather combine to create a magnificently complex aroma.

Taste: On the palate, indulgent notes of fruit cake, plum, bananas foster and sherry meld with charred oak and cacao beans.

Finish: The finish begins with a burst of dark fruit and oak followed by long, enduring notes of dried cherry, raisin and seasoned oak.

15 STARS First West Rye Named Best in Show at 2023 New York World Wine and Spirits Competition

Additionally, 15 STARS First West Rye, released earlier in 2023, earned Best in Show at the 2023 NYWSC — a very impressive achievement given the company’s age — along with Best Rye Whiskey for 2023 and a Double Gold medal.

The blend of 6-, 7- and 8-year-old straight rye whiskeys sourced from Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee is bottled at 105 proof. 15 STARS First West Rye has a suggested retail price of $89.

“We are honored to have received top awards across several whiskey categories at the 2023 New York World Wine and Spirits Competition for our Sherry Cask Finish and First West Rye whiskeys,” 15 STARS co-founder Ricky Johnson said in a news release. “As we recognize bourbon’s history this month, we also celebrate the future of bourbon using our creative blending, flavor-proofing, and barrel finishing techniques, found in our limited releases.”

15 STARS First West Rye Tasting Notes, Via the Brand

Nose: An exquisite blend of aromas revealing layers of floral, dried fruit and spice notes.

Taste: Dried apricot, ginger, cinnamon, green tea and lavender lead to a rich palate showcasing the aged rye whiskey components. Deeper on the palate, hints of dark cocoa balance traditional herbal tea, honey and tobacco.

Finish: A long finish balances light caramel with lingering ground pepper and rye spice.

About 15 STARS

An extremely new brand, 15 STARS released its first whiskey in April 2022. The name is an ode to Kentucky, the 15th state, and the second edition of the American flag, which represented Kentucky as the 15th state with 15 stars and 15 stripes.

15 STARS was founded by father and son team Rick and Ricky Johnson. The brand distills and bottles at Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, Kentucky.

While still young, 15 STARS is successful and ambitious. It has a “significant inventory” of bourbon aged between 10 and 19 years old, the brand said in a news release. Its oldest stocks will turn 20 years old in March.

Additionally, 15 STARS says it is contract-distilling whiskey using black, red, white and blue heritage corn, “which have never been distilled.” These heritage-grain whiskeys will turn 4 years old in November — and will be released only when the brand deems them ready.

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