The Details
Castle & Key
Small Batch Straight Bourbon
Batch 5 - Bottle 01034
Castle & Key Distillery - Frankfort, Kentucky
Aged 4 Years
100 Proof
Mash Bill: 73% White Corn, 10% Rye, 17% Malted Barley
Retail Price: ~$50
Poured Neat in a Copita Nosing Glass - Click Here to order.
Color: Deep Gold
Nose: Ripe Pear, Frosted Flakes Cereal, Tres Leches Cake, Toasted Almonds and light Floral notes
Palate: Creamy Caramel, Nougat, Peanut Butter, Hints of Light Fruits and Honey
Finish: Warm Medium Linger with a slight White Pepper Spice
Overall: I constantly preach that each bottle tells a story. Well, this bottle is no exception. Let's call this a happy little surprise.
Batch 5 demonstrates exactly what consumers want to see with variety and continuous improvement. I hope you don't mind some honesty. I have the first two batches and while they were quite unique, the overall flavor profile missed the mark for my palate. I haven't seen or tried Batches 3 or 4 but I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time for Batch 5. That place was the Wisconsin Whiskey Fest just a couple weeks ago. Wilson and Sheila, representing Castle & Key, were quick to not only greet me a big hug, but to also pour me some of the newest Batch 5. Talk about a complete 180* from the initial batches. I immediately pulled ripe pear notes which turned quickly to a creamy cake on the nose. The palate brought a memory of eating an Abba Zabba candy bar. Nougat and peanut butter followed by some light fruits made for an exceptional mouthfeel. The flavors and overall composition of Batch 5 won me over.
A great big THANK YOU to Wilson and Sheila for being amazing people in this whiskey community and for the very unexpected surprise. K
Library Rating: 8.3 / 10