The whiskey world has something special coming this year. King of Kentucky, a name that's been turning heads in American spirits since 1881, just announced a release that goes way beyond the usual bourbon drop. They're rolling out a Small Batch Collection that ties directly into the 250th birthday of the United States and the formation of Kentucky County, Virginia—the place that eventually became Kentucky itself.
This isn't just another bottle hitting shelves. It's a connection between American history, Kentucky heritage, and some seriously aged whiskey that's been sitting in barrels, waiting for the right moment.
A Brand Built on Racing and Revival
King of Kentucky takes its name from thoroughbred horse racing, the so-called "Sport of Kings." The brand first appeared in 1881, riding the wave of Kentucky's reputation for both horses and bourbon. Brown-Forman, the company behind it, picked up the brand in 1936 but let it fade into the background for decades.
Then 2018 happened. Brown-Forman brought King of Kentucky back from the archives, and it quickly became one of those bottles people hunt for. The kind that gets mentioned in hushed tones at whiskey bars and sells out fast when it shows up.
Now, eight years after that revival, they're doing something different.
The Master Distiller's Long Game
Chris Morris, Brown-Forman's Master Distiller Emeritus, has been holding onto barrels. Not just any barrels—rare, exceptionally aged ones that he knew deserved a special occasion.
"For years, I've held onto these rare, aged barrels, waiting for a moment significant enough to share them," Morris said. "To celebrate the founding of our country with a whiskey of this caliber feels like the perfect tribute."
That's the thing about bourbon. It's not just about what's in the bottle. It's about timing, patience, and knowing when something matters enough to open the vault.
Three Batches, Three Experiences
Here's where King of Kentucky switches things up. Instead of the single barrel releases they've done before, this collection offers three separate batches. Same whiskey family, different personalities, all bottled at different proofs.
Batch 1 comes in at 105 proof. This one leans sweet—chocolate, caramel, toasted marshmallow mixing with dried apricot and clove. The palate brings smooth oak and toasted coconut, then finishes quickly and silky.
Batch 2 steps up to 107.5 proof. The nose gets darker here with dates and fig layered under caramel and charred oak. There's a mint quality with vanilla notes, and the finish stretches longer and crisper.
Batch 3 hits 110 proof, the boldest of the three. Rich chocolate and brown sugar get a lift from citrus and pine. The oak and spice come through strong on the palate, and the finish goes the distance with prominent oak character.
Each batch pulls from barrels aged between 12 and 18 years. Some of those barrels lost so much liquid to evaporation—what distillers call the angel's share—that only 16 percent remained. That's extreme aging, the kind that concentrates flavors but also gambles with yield.
What It Means to Blend Old Barrels
Single barrel releases get a lot of attention in bourbon circles. Each bottle comes from one barrel, one specific spot in the warehouse, one unique expression of the distillery's process. It's pure, unfiltered personality.
Small batch takes a different approach. The distiller selects multiple barrels and blends them together, aiming for complexity and balance you can't get from just one. With barrels spanning six years of age difference and varying levels of evaporation, Morris and his team had plenty of variables to work with.
The proof differences matter too. Lower proof can highlight subtlety and sweetness. Higher proof brings intensity and lets the oak and spice flex. Offering all three gives drinkers a chance to find what works for their palate—or collect all three and compare.
Where It Comes From
This whiskey was made at the Brown-Forman Distillery in Shively, Kentucky, officially known by its designation as DSP-KY-354. That's the historic facility where Brown-Forman has been distilling for generations, separate from their other operations at Woodford Reserve and elsewhere.
Shively doesn't get the tourist traffic that some Kentucky distilleries pull in, but serious bourbon fans know it's where a lot of the company's most respected spirits start their lives.
Getting Your Hands on a Bottle
King of Kentucky Small Batch will hit select markets nationwide with a suggested retail price of $299 per bottle. The quantities are limited, though the company hasn't specified exactly how limited.
At that price point, this sits in premium territory but below some of the ultra-rare releases that push four figures. For bourbon aged up to 18 years with the King of Kentucky name attached, it's positioned as a special occasion purchase rather than an everyday pour.
Finding it might be the bigger challenge. Allocated releases like this typically go to retailers who already have relationships with distributors, and they often hold them for loyal customers. Calling ahead, knowing your local shop owners, and being persistent all help.
What Happens to the Regular Release
The Small Batch Collection doesn't replace King of Kentucky's annual Single Barrel release. That one will keep showing up every fall like it has since the brand came back in 2018.
This gives the brand two expressions: the traditional single barrel that bourbon purists chase, and now this small batch series tied to American history. Whether the Small Batch becomes a recurring thing or stays a one-time anniversary release remains to be seen.
The Bigger Picture
Brown-Forman has built a massive spirits portfolio over more than 150 years. Jack Daniel's alone makes them a household name worldwide. Woodford Reserve elevated their bourbon credentials. They've got Scotch with The Glendronach and Benriach, tequila with Herradura and El Jimador, rum with Diplomatico, and various liqueurs scattered throughout.
But King of Kentucky occupies a different space in that lineup. It's not about volume or market share. It's about prestige, craft, and giving whiskey enthusiasts something to get excited about.
The company employs about 5,400 people worldwide and distributes to more than 170 countries. That scale gives them resources to sit on barrels for nearly two decades waiting for the right moment, something smaller distilleries often can't afford to do.
Why This Matters Now
America's 250th anniversary is a milestone that won't come around again in anyone's lifetime. Kentucky's role in American history runs deep—not just as a bourbon capital but as a frontier territory that became its own state, a border state during the Civil War, and a cultural crossroads that shaped American identity.
Whiskey has always been tangled up in that history. From the Whiskey Rebellion to Prohibition to the modern bourbon boom, spirits production and American culture have influenced each other for centuries.
Releasing a collection that acknowledges that connection gives the brand weight beyond just being another limited edition. It's positioning King of Kentucky as part of a continuum, not just a product.
What Collectors and Drinkers Are Looking At
For collectors, this release checks several boxes. Limited quantity, historic significance, three variations to complete a set, and a brand with proven resale value. Some people will buy all three batches and never open them.
For drinkers who actually plan to pour these, the decision gets interesting. Do you go for the smoothness of Batch 1, the complexity of Batch 2, or the boldness of Batch 3? Or do you grab one now and hope to find the others later?
The age statements help too. Bourbon nerds pay attention to age because older doesn't always mean better, but it does mean rarer. Barrels that make it to 18 years have survived a long time without turning into over-oaked wood juice. That takes skill in barrel selection and luck in warehouse placement.
The Craft Behind the Bottle
Chris Morris has been with Brown-Forman since 1976. He's seen bourbon go from an old man's drink to a global phenomenon. He's watched trends come and go—honey flavored whiskeys, craft distillery explosions, rye comebacks, bourbon shortages, allocation madness.
Through all of it, he's been making decisions about which barrels to bottle now and which ones to let keep aging. That experience shows in releases like this one.
There's a temptation in the whiskey business to rush things. Consumer demand is high, prices are good, and barrels sitting in warehouses aren't generating revenue. But the best distillers know when to wait.
Morris waiting for the 250th anniversary to release these barrels shows that discipline. It's the same mindset that built bourbon's reputation in the first place—patience, respect for the process, and understanding that timing matters.
What's Next
After this release, King of Kentucky goes back to its regular programming with the fall single barrel drop. Whether they'll do another special series, or if this Small Batch Collection becomes an ongoing thing, remains to be seen.
What's clear is that Brown-Forman isn't letting King of Kentucky fade back into obscurity. They've invested in making it a flagship brand, something that represents their highest level of craft and gets attention in a crowded market.
For bourbon fans, that means more opportunities to chase something special. For the brand, it means staying relevant in a market where new distilleries launch constantly and everyone's fighting for shelf space and consumer attention.
The Small Batch Collection arrives in select markets soon. Whether you're celebrating American history, Kentucky heritage, or just exceptional whiskey, it's designed to mark a moment that only happens once every 250 years.
