Kentucky Senator Bourbon

Classification: Straight Bourbon

Company: Kentucky Senator Spirits, LLC

Distillery: Sourced from undisclosed Kentucky distillery(ies)

Release Date: June 2021

Proof: 107

Age: 6 Years

Mashbill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted barley

Color: Light Gold

MSRP: $110 (2021)

Official Website

Nose

Caramel | Light toasted marshmallow | Light oak | Light vanilla | Fresh apple juice | Surprisingly light for the proof

Palate

Creamy vanilla | Light caramel | Rye spice | Baking spice | Light peppercorn | Creamy flavors transform into a soiree of spice

Finish

Flash of vanilla and oak | White peppercorn | Rye grain | Cigar box | Leather | Grounded spice lingers

Overall

This second release of Kentucky Senator is the follow up to the company’s first batch, a 15 year old bourbon. Batch 2 is named after William J. DeBoe of Crittenden County, the first Kentucky Republican to serve in the United States Senate. For this batch, the company kept the proof, but lowered the age. They also used a bourbon with a slightly different mashbill than the first batch, resulting in a much higher rye percentage.

This additional rye in the mashbill makes a noticeable difference in the sip. While the nose is light considering the bourbon’s proof, the palate and finish tell a much different story. Full of creamy flavors that blend well with dollops of spice, the bourbon transforms from light on the nose into an easy sipper that still offers ample spice. While prices are high and bottle counts are low, those that find themselves with one in hand should enjoy the results.

This release consisted of 1,300 bottles. The bottle being reviewed is #0863The sample used for this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy its respective company. We thank them for allowing us to review it with no strings attached.

from Bar Staple

• Company: Kentucky Senator Spirits • Distillery: Undisclosed KY. Distillery

• Type: Kentucky Straight • Proof: 107 • Age: 6 Years

• Mash Bill: 75% Corn | 21% Rye | 4% Malted Barley

• NOSE

Out of the gate on the nose; we got this Floral/Honeysuckle vibe. A slight sweetness that was truly inviting. We also got a light sugar-coated/slight honey Fig/Date hint going on that was hard to pin-point, but it was surely there. And last, but not least…there was a hit of Graham Cracker; very light, but very intriguing.

Our only set-back was it was the lightness of the nose. It was like a faint whisper in the wind. But — it does make you want to dive in for more.

• Score: 19/25

• PALATE

The palate hits like power punch of sweet!

Up front we get this Super Sweet Oak and a Honeysuckle; almost to the sweetness of a Honey Dew Melon. We were into this from the start!

Then came a blast or rather an explosion of heat that covered your mouth like a Red-Hot. But it left just as fast as it came in; so no lingering residual heat.

What lingered was the Dark Sugars — which was truly one of our big likes.

The palate did not disappoint!

• Score: 30/40

• FINISH

The finish was probably one of the best, from the nose and palate; long and featuring your ‘common’ bourbon notes — the caramels, deep, dark brown sugars and so on.

One thing that caught us by surprise was; there was a hint of an Andy’s Mint on the end (that mint that ‘Olive Garden’ gives out with your bill). That mint tingle; which was very good…but totally not expected. Who wouldn’t love that!?

• Score: 24/25

• VALUE

Now here is where we were trying to figure out a best number. This bottle comes in at $115; or at least what we got it for. We feel that is a little too much for our notes we came up with. We feel that this bottle should be somewhere in the ball park of $75/$85 — we just want to be honest and sincere on this.

• Score: 6/10

• FINAL NOTES

With all of our notes in; we asked one another…’was this a purchase we shouldn’t have made’. By far it is not a bad purchase. We would not tell anyone not to buy it. If you see it; snag it…it’s a low run anyways (something like 1200 bottles).

But…is it knocking it out of the park for that money — NO. But…is it a good bourbon — YES!

Now the final question — ‘Is it Bar Staple worthy’?! We feel it is, but I don’t know if we’ll be on the search for No.3…

Till next pour — Cheers!!

• TOTAL SCORE — 79/100

from Fred Minnick

from Whiskey Consensus

A little background

After successfully releasing a limited run batch of 15-year old Kentucky whiskey named after Alben Barkley (a senator/vice-president from the Bluegrass State), the folks at Kentucky Senator LLC are back at it with a 107-proof, 6-year old Kentucky bourbon release. Release #2 is named after William J. Deboe, who served in the U.S. Senate for six years right at the turn of the century. This release is limited to approximately 1300 bottles, and was distilled from a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. Kentucky Senator Release 2 has a retail price of $109 per bottle.

(Tasted neat from a Glencairn Glass)

Color

Pale Straw

Nose

Notes of french vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, and banana rise from the glass after letting sit for a few moments. A little tingle of heat is found deep in the glass, but this is an otherwise approachable nose.

Palate

The palate opens with fruity notes of banana and caramelized plantains, followed by a slow simmering heat on the mid-palate accompanied by a gentle build up of black pepper and mind that spreads across the whole palate with a short chew.

Finish

I’d consider the mouthfeel on this pour a medium to thick mouthfeel. It feels a little more viscous than I expect from a 107 proof pour, but it doesn’t bond to your palate the way barrel proof pours can. After the swallow, a nice heat hits the mid palate with notes of doughy custard, black pepper, and banana pudding topped with pecan pie.The heat and flavor both diminish slowly, taking their time before finally concentrating at the rear corners of the palate and slipping away.

In closing

I like this pour. I think the 107 proof mark allows for a fair balance of flavor and heat. The strong palate was particularly appealing, although I think from start to finish this was a solid experience. As I see it, the only downside to this release is the price point. At approximately $110 per bottle, that’s a steep ask for a 6 year-old, 107 proof bourbon. Don’t get me wrong, Kentucky Senator Release 2 is a solid batch of whiskey with some neat history attached to it, but there are a lot of comparable bottles at more competitive prices that I think will make this a hard sell.

NOTE: The sample used for this review was provided at no cost courtesy of Kentucky Senator Spirits LLC. We thank them for the sample and for allowing us to review it with no strings attached.

from Fred Minnick

Jake and Scott are back in “the office” and we are sharing some Kentucky Senator Bourbon. Kentucky Senator is a revived brand and each release of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey will carry the name of an esteemed U.S. Senator from the Bluegrass State. We taste their first two releases, including a 15 year and a 6 year Kentucky Straight Bourbon. We discuss many topics in this episode including sourcing whiskey, celebrity brands, the premium bourbon market, and whether we view whiskey as a good investment vehicle. We’d love to hear your thoughts on some of these discussion topics, so be sure to interact with us on social media.  A big thank you to Kentucky Senator Bourbon who provided these bourbons to us for the purposes of discussing them on our podcast.  We were not compensated for this podcast and the provision of bourbon for sampling does not bias our independent opinions.

Batch 1 is a fifteen year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon with a mash bill of 78.5% corn, 13% rye and 8.5% malted barley and bottled at 107 Proof. The first release was limited to 1320 bottles and has an SRP of $199.99. 

Batch 2 is aged six years, this Kentucky Straight Bourbon has a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley and is proofed at 107. The second release was limited to 1300 bottles and has an SRP of $109.99. 

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Cheers,Scott, Jake, & MichaelBourbon Lens

About Kentucky Senator Bourbon:

The Kentucky Senator brand was originally distilled and bottled by Crigler & Crigler in Covington, Kentucky, then by Double Springs Distillers, Inc. in Bardstown. Revived by Kentucky Senator Spirits, LLC in 2019, each release of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey will carry the name of an esteemed U.S. Senator from the Bluegrass State. The brand revival is led by Andre Regard and Damon Thayer as they work to restore this vintage Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey to its glory days. Both men possess a unique background in Bourbon that they bring to the management team.

Kentucky Senator Spirits, a new non-distilling producer out of Kentucky and the owner of the vintage Kentucky Senator bourbon label, is in the process of releasing a second Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. The limited-edition William J. DeBoe Release has been aged six years and honors William J. DeBoe, a Kentucky native who served exactly six years in the U.S. Senate as its very first Kentucky Republican.

The small-batch bourbon whiskey is being made available at liquor stores, bars and restaurants throughout the state of Kentucky, with single barrel private selections also being available at various outlets. The William J. DeBoe Release will furthermore be available online for sale and will be featured at Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Washington, D.C. 

“It’s been a real pleasure to see our first release enjoyed by so many enthusiasts in the Bourbon community,” said Kentucky Senator Spirits co-manager Damon Thayer in a prepared statement. “We are excited to build on that success and debut our second, small-batch this summer. As always, we continue our commitment to the finest Kentucky Bourbon whiskey and hope consumers enjoy the history that accompanies each bottle.” 

Kentucky Senator Bourbon William J. DeBoe Release (image via Kentucky Senator Spirits)

Approximately 1,300 bottles comprise this release, being bottled 107 proof and with a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley. It was distilled and aged in Kentucky and bottled at Bluegrass Distillers in Lexington.

“Only four months after our first batch and here we are sending our second release to market,” said co-manager Andre Regard. “What an honor this has been, to support Kentucky’s home spirit and connect with our fellow Bourbon aficionados. Kentucky Senator will keep working to deliver superior taste and experience.”  

Kentucky Senator Straight Bourbon Whiskey, according to information from the brand, was originally produced by Crigler & Crigler, in Covington, and later by Double Springs Distillers, Inc. in Bardstown. It was revived in 2019 by Thayer and Regard, and is “distinguished by its offering of great Bourbon whiskey with a side of Kentucky history. Each batch will carry the name of an esteemed U.S. Senator from the Bluegrass State. The Alben W. Barkley Release was the first Bourbon in Kentucky Senator’s portfolio, named for the U.S. Senator and Vice President under Harry S Truman.”