Stats
Castle & Key
Small Batch Straight Bourbon
Batch 1 - Bottle 06666
Castle & Key Distillery - Frankfort, Kentucky
Aged 4 Years
98 Proof
Mash Bill: 73% White Corn, 10% Rye, 17% Malted Barley
Retail Price: ~$45
Poured Neat in a Glencairn
Color: Deep Gold
Nose: Grain and Corn forward, Green Apples, Botanicals, Honeysuckle
Palate: Floral, Corn Cereal, Buttered Popcorn, Hint of Honey
Finish: Warm, light linger. Somewhat thin (not very viscous).
Overall: From the colors to the design, the beauty of this bottle draws everyone in. A heavy cork, the perfect "pop" and off we go with this inaugural bourbon release from Castle & Key.
Quick History: In 2014 Wes Murry and Will Arvin purchased the Old Taylor Distillery with the vision to restore it and still capture so much of its rich history. Enter Castle & Key Distillery.
After being such a fan of Castle & Key's Restoration Rye, I knew I had to jump on this release as quickly as I could. So much buzz circulated this Batch 1 in the Bourbon World. And why not? A new bourbon on the scene with the right group of people behind it and at a great price. Sign me up all day long. The nose sets the mood here. A "fresh" fruit smell along with a ton of botanical flair and a touch of honey started to make me smile a bit. The smell reminded me of some of their seasonal Gin releases and that's in no means a bad thing, but certainly unique. The taste actually followed suit with the nose which also brought forth flavors of buttered popcorn. Many may think all this is due to a lack of age, but I honestly believe it's something new and something different that was trying to be achieved. Again: Unique. The finish was the only thing that seemed subpar which in turn affected my overall score. It seemed "thin" to me. Now, I'm in no way influenced by proof. I go where the flavor is. I don't believe the viscosity would change dramatically with the absence of water here so I don't feel a higher proof would change much on the finish, but I'd always be willing to try it at cask strength :wink wink: I'm looking forward to trying Batch 2 if I can get my hands on it sometime soon. From what I've been reading, the notes are completely different and I'm all about trying everything!
I also look forward to what the future holds for Castle & Key. Keep up the good work.
Library Rating: 7.6 / 10