Review: Whiskey Row Bourbon – Triple Wood and Cask Strength

2025 saw the arrival of a new bourbon brand, Whiskey Row — named after the part of Louisville’s Main Street which was a hub for bourbon shipping until Prohibition. (Today, it’s become ground zero for whiskey brands from all over the place (not just Kentucky) to set up tasting rooms.)

Whiskey Row Bourbon doesn’t just pay homage to pre-Prohibition spirits, it also attempts to recreate the era’s approach to blending. Here’s some backstory:

Created at [and presumably distilled at] Kentucky Artisan Distillery (KAD) in Crestwood, Kentucky, Whiskey Row Bourbon reflects the complex flavor profiles of pre-Prohibition whiskey, a time of greater experimentation in aging techniques. Late distiller and Bourbon Hall of Fame inductee Steve Thompson conceived of Whiskey Row Bourbon as a return to pre-Prohibition blending methods. As a nod to Thompson’s vision and legacy, Avalon Spirits will embrace the craftsmanship, variation, and experimental aging techniques that defined the early days of bourbon, starting with the Triple Wood, Bottled in Bond, and Cask Strength expressions.

The core expression, Triple Wood, is matured for at least four years with a distinctive finishing process in Cognac and Pedro Ximénez (PX) sherry casks for enhanced complexity and bottled at KAD. Whiskey Row Bourbon’s Bottled in Bond expression follows a rigorous six-marker process to ensure quality, while the Cask Strength expression is left unfinished to intensify bold flavors.

Whiskey Row Bourbon challenges the perception that premium bourbon must come from Kentucky. While the brand celebrates the time-honored Kentucky traditions of bourbon-making, it acknowledges that the destination’s prominence stems not only from premium grain or water but also from the historical route to market that whiskies traveled down the Ohio River, making Louisville a destination for blending. Whiskey Row Bourbon’s upcoming regional releases will showcase destination-inspired maturation techniques and blending profiles from lesser-known bourbon regions.

Whiskey Row sent us two of its three expressions to check out, so let’s dive in to each.

Whiskey Row Triple Wood Bourbon Review

As noted above: Four years old, finished in Cognac and PX sherry casks. A little undercooked on the nose, the whiskey is heavy with notes of ethanol and fresh corn — then Sugar Pops cereal. It’s not overtly woody but it does come across as tannic and, eventually, quite peppery.

The palate sees quite a shift as it leans into the finishing barrels heavily. You can immediately see the concept here as the wine and brandy barrels do a good job at masking the whiskey’s youth, at least to a degree. While some charry oak notes are unmissable, fruit and wine notes come on strong in short order. Cherry, plum, and currants dominate — then oxidized wine notes follow, giving the whiskey a rather herbal quality as it develops. Lots of oak roars back on the finish, which winds up feeling a little bitter and biting as it shuts the door.

There are flashes of delight in this whiskey, but it’s just not fully cooked. I’d love to see this finishing approach applied to more mature stock.

90 proof. B- / $50

Whiskey Row Cask Strength Bourbon Review

Unfinished, no age statement. It’s aggressively grain-forward on the nose, with tons of oak to back it up — initially coming across as quite off-putting. Aromatically, it’s a whiskey that never quits, punching hard with notes of tobacco, scorched grain, and ultra-char — with no clear way through it all. The palate fortunately has more to present, and the initial rush is heavy with (overwhelming) notes of sweet black tea. The tea theme is eventually counterbalanced by oak tannins and spice, especially cloves, followed by cracked pepper, but notes of brown sugar-sweetened sun tea are never far from view. It’s quite a chaotic experience reconciling the burly nose with the more effusive body, but I warmed up to it over time.

111 proof. B- / $71

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