6 Whiskey Unicorns of the Great Fall Release Season & Some Ryes Too
Most of us will never know what it’s like to walk into a liquor store and find an Old Forester Birthday Bourbon just sitting on the shelf, waiting for its forever home of a very happy human bourbon connoisseur. Unfortunately, those days are long gone as these unicorns from the Great Fall Bourbon Release get snatched up right out of the box, sometimes the delivery truck, before room is even made on a shelf.
Maybe you’ll get lucky and try a pour at a bar or a buddy’s house. Or maybe you’ll win a bottle in a lottery. These unicorns are out there, I am told, so there’s gotta be some luck floating around in the universe. I’m fortunate to reside in Kentucky and occasionally get small media samples of these highly-coveted bottles, so I wanted to share some thoughts and tasting notes with anyone who has read this far.
It’s not to brag but to share knowledge, to satisfy the curiosity that seeps from the barrel of desire each and every fall. It’s that same curiosity that implores us to stop at liquor stores on the way home or while on vacation. You never know when the bourbon gods will look down and smile upon you. This I know for certain: One day I will capture that white whale named King of Kentucky.
Rare Whiskeys
King of Kentucky
130.6 (average) Proof | $249.99
Details: This annual release is highly sought after because there isn’t much of it and it’s one of the oldest whiskeys coming out of the Brown-Forman heat-cycled warehouses. This year’s “regular” expression is 15 years old and produced 3,500 bottles total, which are distributed only in Kentucky, Illinois, and Ohio. Also, to celebrate the brand’s fifth anniversary, there is a special 18-year-old King of Kentucky release this year, and the bottle features a cool gold emblem. There are only 250 of those in existence, so good luck even getting a glimpse of one in person.
Tasting Notes: I’m only going to focus on the standard 15-year-old here, because you have a greater chance of tasting that one than the golden goose. The aroma wafts from the glass like a rickhouse in the summer. Immediate hints of banana, maple, honey, and dark cherry tease the senses. And upon first sip, your tastebuds are rewarded with all those flavors, plus a bouquet of dried fruit, Sugar Smacks, Bananas Foster, and oak. After all, this is 15 years old from a heat-cycled warehouse. It’s spent more than its fair share exchanging flavor in and out of the wood. The finish is long and savory, leaving behind an extra note that reminds me of the taste of a cigar, if that’s possible.
Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch
109 Proof | $179.99
Details: Four Roses bourbons are always decent and consistent no matter what expression it is, but this annual Limited Edition Small Batch is a real treat in a sea full of tricks. This year’s iteration mingles four different recipes of bourbons aged 14-20, and if you’re a Four Roses fan, those recipes are OESF (14 year), OESV (14), OESK (15), and OBSV (20). A little more than 14,000 bottles will be distributed nationwide, and I’m hoping one lands in my hands.
Tasting Notes: On the nose I get instant apricot and pear, followed by some mild oak notes from the older barrels. And with a sip, I get even more of that seasoned oak and warm vanilla, along with some green apple and cinnamon. The oak actually takes a leading role in this one, so if you’re not a fan of overly-oaked bourbons, this might not be your jam. I don’t mind it, but I wish the palate showcased more of the bright flavors that were on the nose. The finish is spicy and feisty.
Old Forester Birthday Bourbon
96 Proof | $149.99
Details: Each Sept. 2, Old Forester releases its Birthday Bourbon to commemorate the birthday of founder George Garvin Brown. This year’s release is 11 years old and bottled at 96 proof, which is one year younger and 8 proof points lower than last year. That doesn’t mean too much, as each release differs a bit. I always get excited for this one because it kicks off the Great Fall Bourbon Release. And even though I live 10 minutes from the distillery in Louisville, it’s damn near impossible to get your hands on one.
Tastings Notes: The nose is bright on this one, with zesty notes of citrus, drizzled caramel, Nilla Wafers, and subtle oak. Upon first sip, I get nice intertwining of baked fruit, toasted marshmallow, and black pepper, followed by a warm caramel and even a hint of dark chocolate-covered cherry. The finish is divine and rich, comforting like a hot cup of coffee on a cool, crisp fall morning.
Bardstown Bourbon Co. Château de Laubade Collaboration 2
107 Proof | $159.99
Details: In 2020, Bardstown Bourbon Co. partnered with the French Armagnac house Château de Laubade to collaborate on an Armagnac-finished whiskey (using 12-year-old MGP bourbon) that quickly won awards and got gobbled up by collectors and connoisseurs. You’re lucky to find it now for under $1,000. This is the second release from both companies, which reimagines the recipe with 12-year-old Kentucky bourbon and 10-year-old Tennessee bourbon, finishing in the Armagnac casks for 16 months.
Tasting Notes: This one changes the longer it sits in the glass, it’s crazy! On the nose I get straight up Fig Newton with a little nutmeg and toffee sprinkled on top. And on the palate, that Fig Newton becomes even more pronounced, drizzled in caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, and a bright pear note. The finish is long and fruitful, giving us more of those aged Armagnac flavors, a tad bit of oak, and a dash of cinnamon.
Little Book Chapter 6: “To the Finish”
117.45 Proof | $124.99
Details: Since the release of last year’s Little Book, 8th-generation distiller Freddie Noe was named Master Distiller of the James B. Beam Distillery, where he works right alongside his father, Master Distiller Fred Noe. This is Freddie’s pet project that gives him free reign to create a blend of whiskeys with a theme in mind. This year it’s “To the Finish,” which he says comes from his passion for making whiskey and cooking. Here, he smoked a variety of wood staves (cherrywood, applewood, hickory, and Maplewood), which he then added to 4-year-old malt whiskey. He also added in some 5-year-old Kentucky bourbon for good measure. He got the idea, he says, from his time behind the grill, cooking meats on various smoked hardwoods.
Tasting Notes: I honestly didn’t think I was going to like this year’s Little Book, but I’ve been mildly surprised by its many nuances. On the nose, I get a nice toasted grain note reminiscent of an oatmeal raisin cookie. And on the palate, it’s like a backyard barbecue with a little smoke on the tip of the tongue, followed by a mellow medley of toasted marshmallow and a crisp crème brulee note. Dare I say it’s like a scotch without the peat but mixed with a decent Kentucky bourbon. I don’t know how to categorize this one other than to say it’s a delightful surprise.
Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Sour Mash Whiskey
86 Proof | $100
Details: This is only the second time this Toasted Sour Mash expression has been released by the Louisville-based Michter’s Distillery. They started experimenting with toasted barrels back in 2014 with their award-winning Toasted Barrel Bourbon, and this one quickly made a name for itself when it first hit the market in 2019. We’ve had to sit tight since then for another release, but I’m happy to say it was worth the wait. For this, they took fully mature Michter’s US*1 Sour Mash Whiskey and then aged it for an additional time in specially selected toasted barrels.
Tastings Notes: I do love the toasted barrel process because it just adds an extra level of all the best parts of whiskey — rich caramel, vanilla, and candied fruit. All of that is found here in the aroma, as well as some nutty notes of cashews and almonds. On the palate, those nutty and sweet notes appear first and then give way to a little maple, honey, and cinnamon spice from the rye in the mashbill. At 86 proof, the whiskey is sippable and easy going. The finish is subtle yet curious. This is fall in a glass.
Notable Ryes
Redwood Empire Rocket Top Straight Rye Whiskey Batch 2
100 Proof | $89.99
Details: Distilled at the Redwood Empire Distillery in Sonoma County, Calif., this notable rye whiskey is a four-grain recipe that features 87% rye, 5% wheat, 5% malted barley and 3% corn. It’s unusual to have corn and wheat in a rye product, but Master Distillery Jeff Duckhorn has come up with a great recipe for this 5-year-old Bottled-in-Bond whiskey. Look out for the Bottled-in-Bond four-grain bourbon as well, which was released at the same time as this.
Tasting Notes: This is a quintessential sipping whiskey, although I’m sure it would make a tasty Old Fashioned. The small amounts of corn and wheat don’t take away from the bite of the rye, but they do smooth the edges just a bit. On the nose I get plumb and date notes with a slight touch of black pepper and buttered rye bread. And on the palate, I get the warm spice up front, followed by a rewarding medley of orange zest, baked fruit and what I can only describe as Cracker Jacks. There’s definitely a prize at the bottom of this bottle!
119.6 Proof | $149
Details: With the tremendous success of their bourbons and Tennessee whiskeys, Uncle Nearest has expanded its portfolio with an uncut and unfiltered rye whiskey. While a mash bill isn’t available, we know it was distilled in Canada and then aged in New York for four years. Then it was brought it to Tennessee and aged (or “rested,” they say) further in used Uncle Nearest bourbon barrels. This release is only available at the distillery, but that might be changing soon.
Tasting Notes: This is definitely the lightest colored whiskey on this list, but that definitely doesn’t mean it there’s no flavor. On the nose I get a lot of grain notes and a splash of vanilla. And on the palate, I get the familiar clove and cinnamon from the rye, followed by some nutty notes and — this might be weird — buttered graham cracker. Did anyone else ever butter their warm graham crackers as a child?
Brothers of the Leaf Rye Whiskey Batch 1
119.2 Proof | $89.99
Details: Broadleaf Whiskey is a new company based out of Louisville, Ky., that integrates a passion for bourbon and whiskey with the love of cigars. The two go very well hand in hand, so founders Brian Gelfo (a bourbon industry insider) and J. Paul Tucker (a force in the local cigar industry) combined their appreciation of both treats to create the Brothers of the Leaf line of sourced and contract distilled bourbons and whiskeys. They also like to play around with finishing barrels, so you can expect a wide array of bottles from the burgeoning company. The rye whiskey, which we’re reviewing here, was distilled in Indiana (likely MGP) and has a mashbill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. The bottles are available in Kentucky as well as online through Bourbon Outfitter.
Tastings Notes: The first iteration of the small-batch Brothers of the Leaf Straight Rye Whiskey is finished in toasted white oak casks, so on the nose you have these great notes of pecan and vanilla from the extra oak. And then on the palate, you get the familiar rye whiskey spice bomb up front along with a warm drizzle of caramel and toasted marshmallow, followed by a little baked fruit — think the apple goo in an apple pie — and nutmeg. The finish is long and warming, with even more nutty notes that tingle as the whiskey mingles with your tastebuds. This definitely does not sip like the stout 119.2 proof it is. Somebody make me a fire and bring the marshmallows!