New bourbon releases: Willett, Michter’s, Castle & Key, Quest’s End and more
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Willett releases cask-strength small-batch bourbon blended from two mash bills, $67
- Penelope Project X single-barrel 108-proof bourbon lands as online offering at $99.99
- Kentucky distilleries roll out seasonal special releases aimed at gifting and occasions
Holiday season, shopping season, big bourbon season ... call it what you want, it’s here.
Distilleries across Kentucky are dropping special bottles in time for gifting or enjoying on special occasions.
Here are some of the latest whiskey releases to look for.
Willett Family Estate Small Batch Bourbon
Willett Distillery in Bardstown is releasing a small batch bourbon that is a marriage of two distinct mash bills, selected and blended by master distiller Drew Kulsveen.
Each batch of Willett Family Estate Small Batch Bourbon will be bottled at cask strength with a unique flavor profile with each release.
This release continues the vision of his late father, Even G. Kulsveen, and builds on the popularity of Willett Family Estate Single Barrel.
“Willett Family Estate Small Batch Bourbon represents the next step in our family’s journey,” said Drew Kulsveen, said in the news release. “From our family’s Thanksgiving table to yours, our values of gratitude, grit and hospitality are intentionally poured into every barrel and every single bottle we put on the table. It’s important to celebrate those we hold most dear over a shared pour, while remembering our most favorite stories about those who aren’t at the table.”
The Willett Family Estate Small Batch Bourbon will be released in limited quantities nationwide. Suggested retail price is $67.
Michter’s 20 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Michter’s is releasing Michter’s 20 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon from master distiller Dan McKee and master of maturation Andrea Wilson.
Shipments will begin Dec. 1. It will be available at select retailers nationally.
According to Wilson, this bourbon “is an exemplary representation of how oak can be used to deepen vanilla, toffee, chocolate, spice, fruit and confectionery notes that enhance complexity in bourbon. We hope that everyone who gets the opportunity to taste this product is able to experience the beloved attributes of a beautiful, timeless bourbon crafted through intentional aging.”
It’s 114.2 proof with a suggested retail price of $1,200 for a 750mL bottle.
Castle & Key pair
Castle & Key Distillery has two new special releases: Castle & Key Wheated Bourbon Cask Strength, the distillery’s newest wheat bourbon, and Castle & Key Straight Rye Finished in Extra Old Haitian Rhum Casks, part of the distillery’s new experimental series.
The wheat bourbon has a suggested retail price of $59.99-$64.99 for a 750ml bottle.
The rye finished in rum has a suggested retail price of $64.99-$69.99 for a 750ml bottle.
Both expressions are available online at castleandkey.com for shipping to California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas City, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. The bourbon also is available at the distillery shop in Frankfort.
According to the news release, the experimental series consists of intentional small batches, always bottled at cask strength, with this year’s release aged 18 months in cask finish barrels and bottled at 116.1 proof. Only 1,800 cases were produced of the Straight Rye Finished in Extra Old Haitian Rhum Casks.
According to the tasting notes, it has a nose of brûléed banana, charred thyme, cream cheese frosting, jasmine, dried pineapple, demerara sugar, vanilla bean and cinnamon.
On the palate, it’s fruitcake, blackstrap molasses, plum hibiscus, rum raisin, fried plantains, black cardamom and clove with a finish of currants, anise, cigar wrap and lingering dark sugar.
The wheated bourbon has a nose of “oatmeal raisin cookie, vanilla frosting, baked peach, candied pear, orange peel, lilac, soft cinnamon,” according to the tasting notes. On the palate, it’s “almond pastry, butterscotch, macaroon, baking chocolate, dried cranberry, craisin, clove and marigold” with a finish of raw brown sugar and roasted walnut, leading into leather and French toast.
Quest’s End: Monk
Find Familiar Spirits — the fandom-focused spirits company co-founded by actor Matthew Lillard (”Scream,” “Five Nights at Freddy’s”), screenwriter and producer Justin Ware (”Blood Sucking Bastards”) and Tim Sparapani (Blue Run Spirits co-founder) — is unleashing Monk, the first-ever cask strength whiskey from Quest’s End, designed to appeal whiskey lovers and gaming enthusiasts.
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Each bottle also includes a new chapter from the brand’s original fantasy saga, “Dawn of the Unbound Gods,” penned by bestselling author Andrea Stewart (“The Drowning Empire” trilogy).
According to the tasting notes, it has a nose of black cherry, toasted barley and orange. On the palate, it’s vanilla, freshly baked granola and plum.
It has a suggested retail price of $149.99 and is available online at findfamiliarspirits.com/products/monk.
Penelope Project X Liquor Bros
The Liquor Bros recently dropped an exclusive single-barrel of Penelope Project X, hand-selected by their team for its bold personality and exceptional character. Drawn from Penelope’s experimental Project X series, this 108-proof bourbon has rich depth with subtle spice from its cognac-cask finish. It has a suggested retail price of $99.99 for a 750 ml bottle, available online at theliquorbros.com.
According to the tasting notes, it has a nose of sweet toasted oak, vanilla bean, caramel drizzle and candied nuts with a hint of cinnamon. On the palate, it’s creamy, full-bodied layers of honeyed oak, charred marshmallow and dark-chocolate espresso with a long smooth finish of baking spice and dried-fruit sweetness.
Blue Run Bears commemorative
Blue Run Spirits has released a limited-edition bottle commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Chicago Bears’ 1985 legendary 18-1 season and Super Bowl victory.
It’s Blue Run Kentucky Straight High Rye Bourbon Whiskey on the inside. On the outside, it has a custom butterfly medallion with the Bears colors and the designation as “The Official Bourbon of The Chicago Bears.”
Bottled at 111 proof with a suggested retail price of $89.99, the bourbon has a bold flavor profile, with praline and orange peel on the nose. On the palate, it’s brown sugar, nuttiness and stone fruit with a long finish highlighted by herbal white tea, peach and clove.
It’s available through Binny’s Beverage Depot, Jewel-Osco, Costco and other fine retailers in Illinois, as well as Seelbach’s.
