Tasting Notes – Whiskey Row Bottled-in-Bond

This post sponsored by the Glencairn Whisky Glass

Whiskey Row is the Bourbon label produced by Kentucky Artisan Distillery (KAD). This brand was created by KAD founder Stephen Thompson, using sourced whiskey. Each year after the creation of the brand, a portion of the whiskey used was distilled at KAD. This year, the release is 100% whiskey made at KAD and there has been some flavor drift – the whiskey is the best Bourbon bottled in the brand yet!

The Bourbon is a four grain whiskey made with 67% corn, 20% rye, 5% wheat, 8% malted barley. It is pot still distilled and has a barrel entry proof of 110 proof. It was aged for four years and eight months and bottled in a 13 barrel batch.

Whiskey Row Bottled-in-Bond

Proof: 100

Age: Spring 2016, Fall 2020 – four years, eight months.

Nose: Caramel, apricots and peaches, baking spices and oak.

Taste: Caramel with a hint of chocolate, apricots and peaches. Baking spices – ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, sweet oak wood and a hint of tobacco. When tasted with a dried cranberry, the chocolate comes forward with caramel and peaches, baking spice and tobacco. When tasted with a pecan, citrus flavors come out with the apricot and peach fruit. The caramel and spice are reduced somewhat, but still there.

Finish: Long, starts sweet with caramel and fruit, but then dries out to spice and oak. The dried cranberry shortens the finish and reduces the spice and oak, making it a sweet finish. The pecan makes the finish very long with a little citrus brightness balancing the sweet oak and spice.

I would pair this Bourbon with my favorite pipe tobacco – Kremer’s Black Royal. This tobacco has a good balance of vanilla and coffee with rich sweet tobacco in the smoke that should complement the fruitiness of the Bourbon without overpowering it.