Kings County Barrel Strength Bourbon 64% 2021 (200ml)

Once a regular offering, the pressure today on the distillery’s older inventory has meant their Barrel Strength has become an allocated Whiskey (we have access to very little). Clocking in at 116-128 proof depending on the batch, this is pulled from older barrels than the flagship Bourbon, stocks that have been maturing anywhere between two and five-plus years. This latest release (Batch #14, bottled 2021) has a four-year age statement but contains components aged up to 6.5 years.

Smooth and bold, this is King County’s most flavourful and intense Whiskey: look out for burnt brown sugar, marzipan, caramel, vanilla wafer and black pepper, with an oak-forward palate featuring notes of wild cherry, clove and leather. Spoleman explains that at this level of proof, the qualities of pot versus column distillation really stand out. The narrow head cuts (72% in this case) strip out the early harsh compounds resulting in a much finer and palate-friendly dram.