The 13 Best Whiskeys We Tasted at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2024
Every September, thousands flock to Bardstown, Kentucky for a three-day exploration of their favorite hobby: Drinking bourbon. And so they did again in 2024 at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. With some 200 whiskeys available for tasting, you can’t possible sample everything on offer. That doesn’t stop folks from trying, and since the festival runs for a long weekend, you can definitely do some damage, provided you’re willing to wait in some long lines under the sun, in the rain, or — as was our experience — both in one day.
For many, KBF isn’t so much about tasting but about buying. Producers bring their unicorn bottles like Heaven Hill Parker’s Heritage Collection and Michter’s two 10 Year Old Single Barrel offerings, all for sale at MSRP. If you’re willing to stand in line for two hours or more, you might be able to nab one yourself.
I didn’t buy a thing aside from a much-needed baseball cap and focused instead on tasting as many rarities and one-offs as I could find. Here is a collection of my favorites.
Kentucky Peerless Bourbon Cognac Barrel Finished – Technically tasted the night before KBF began at an event at Louisville’s Distiller’s Club with Peerless’s blender John Wadell, and a great way to start the event. Wadell says Peerless doesn’t want to be known for finishing… but here we are, with a great, finished product. Gentle sweet with ripe raisin notes and just a bit of funk, it’s a beautiful expression of the best of two worlds — burly bourbon whiskey and a soothing, sweet brandy. Of the several whiskeys we tasted this evening, the one I couldn’t put down. 107 proof. $200
Maker’s Mark Private Selection Toasted Marshmallow – Star Hill Farm, KY – A private selection release of Maker’s Mark’s own creation, heavy on the Roasted French Mendiant staves. It’s a crowd-pleaser of a whiskey that earns its name, offering not just some rounded sweetness but also plenty of charry, burnt sugar bits around the edges. Probably only available if you visit the distillery… but I’d make the drive. 110.6 proof. $NA
Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024 – Another MM — this one a highly awaited offering that the general public can get. The follow up to last year’s dazzling Cellar Aged 2023, the 2024 release again finds Maker’s leaning more heavily on wood than its house profile does, though the more savory approach serves as a healthy counterpoint to the effusive vanilla and chocolate in the mix. We just got a sample bottle of this as I type this, so we’ll be delving into more specifics soon. 119.3 proof. $150
Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series: Ice Wine – I don’t think I’ve ever had a whiskey finished in ice wine barrels before this one… and I hope it’s a trend that continues. This 5 year old is a blend of 11 whiskeys from 4 states, but it’s clearly the sweet wine barrel that is doing the heavy lifting here. It’s not at all overwhelming with sugar but rather layers a gentle honey quality atop its well-matured, complex backbone. Probably my favorite sip of the festival. I’ll be reviewing this one in detail in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. 106.52 proof. $NA
Barrell Seagrass Gold Label Rye – This little piece of insanity gives WhistlePig’s Boss Hog releases a run for their money. It’s a 20 year old Canadian rye finished in three casks: Martinique rum, Malmsey Madeira, and apricot brandy barrels — and it’s cask strength. The apricot isn’t shy, and the finished product is an outright fruit bomb. It’s one of those whiskeys that is hard to get your arms around — and which works best as a nightcap, when you think your palate might be shot. One sip and you’ll find out soon enough. 128.12 proof. $500
Angel’s Envy Bottled in Bond – Really quite a delight that might challenge your expectations of the distillery. This one’s particularly unique because it is also a cask strength bourbon as well as being bonded: By carefully blending barrels, Angel’s Envy got to 100 proof without watering down the whiskey. That alone is worth a slow clap — but the juice is solid, a delightful blend of chocolate, baking spice, and a big almond nougat note on the finish. 100 proof. $55
Nulu Hazmat – Nulu was pouring a “maple brulee” bourbon that I couldn’t get my arms around. Instead I gravitated to this high-proof release which did not at all lie in its name: Very hot but also fruit-forward, with a great level of spice and ample dark chocolate. 140 proof. $NA
New Riff Single Malt – New Riff co-founder Jay Erisman explained all the complex ins and outs of its first single malt, but I didn’t come close to getting all the details written down because we were busy tasting the stuff. It’s a fun and unusual whiskey from New Riff that shows where the emerging ASM market could end up going, threading the needle between the burly bourbon and silky malt whiskey worlds. 114.5 proof. $70
Chicken Cock Mizunara Finish – As a brand drawing on a name that dates back to 1856, it’s safe to say that a Japanese mizunara oak was not in the original lineup. This expression is nonetheless bold and woodsy, yet balanced and soulful, with a rich earthiness that feels otherworldly at times. 105 proof. $250
Bardstown Bourbon Silver Oak Finish – Bourbon folks love to finish in blue chip Napa cabernet casks in order to appeal to the crossover market of upscale wine drinkers, so why not BBCo? This is one of the better red wine-finished bourbons I’ve tried, plenty spicy up top and loaded with red fruit notes — though its a little tannic and doughy on the back end. You can actually get the essence of the cabernet here, at least for a fleeting few seconds. Full review forthcoming. 108 proof. $160
Bomberger’s Declaration Bourbon 2024 – I’d actually never had the chance to sample Bomberger’s before KBF, and now I see what all the fuss is about. This is just a great, balanced sipper, rich on the palate but full of fruit notes, well-complemented by vanilla and chocolate. Nothing not to like, and comparably easy to get hold of in comparison to some of the unicorns above. 108 proof. $90
Remus Bourbon Single Barrel Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2024 Release – A solid one-off bottle of ex-MGP’s own Remus brand, made of 51% corn and 49% rye. Aggressive as hell but a nice distraction from some of the fruit bombs I encountered during the event. 118.1 proof. $NA
Heaven Hill Select Stock Bourbon Finished in Coffee Barrels – A nice nightcap for the event: This is exactly what the name suggests, an experimental release that indeed tastes like a short cup of coffee with a shot of whiskey dunked into it. Not something I’d gravitate to on the regular, but a lovely palate cleanser to get you to the bus back home! 86 proof. $NA
Big thanks to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival for arranging tickets, lodging, and meals for Drinkhacker to attend!
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