The 17 Best Whiskeys We Tasted at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2025
The 17 Best Whiskeys We Tasted at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2025
Another Kentucky Bourbon Festival is in the books, and if the bourbon industry has gone bust, you wouldn’t be able to tell it from the throngs at the sold-out three-day takeover of Bardstown, Kentucky, ground zero for America’s spirit. The lines to get in, as usual, wrapped around the block. The lines to buy prized, limited release bottles — signed by the distillers — seemed even longer.
I didn’t buy anything, but I tried to taste everything I could, jotting down brief tasting notes and snapping pics before moving on to the next stand. With dozens of whiskeys available to try over the two days I spent at the fest, you simply had to keep moving to cover a critical mass. (And that’s not even considering taking time out to chat with distillers or attend a KBF premium event — mine a sit-down pairing of Filipino food and bourbon with chef Nokee Bucayu from Lousiville’s Hotel Bourre Bonne.
Many thanks to KBF for providing tickets and accommodations at Louisville’s Tempo hotel this year! Hope to see you again in 2026.
Ready for our top tastes of the fest? Here they are, really in no particular order.
Bluegrass Distillers Elkwood Reserve 17 Years Old
A lot of the chatter of the show was all around Dark Arts’ “buffalo turkey” release, which was gone in the blink of an eye, but Bluegrass Distillers had one too, Elkwood Reserve 17 Years Old — which flew under the radar. A clear black tea note sets the stage for a soft but spicy palate, which bursts with flavor, not heat. One of my favorite pours of the weekend. Note that the 18 year old offering is totally different stock. 109 proof. $225 and up
Calumet Farm Bourbon 18 Years Old
An extremely elegant and very soft whiskey, poured from a special decanter to celebrate the 100th anniversary of, well, of something. Calumet Farm is a non-distilling producer, so this celebrates the actual farm, not anything related to whiskeymaking. The bourbon’s gentle nature is both surprising given its age and a bit divisive, as some patrons were clearly looking for a whiskey that’s more in your face than this. I loved its nuance, however, and went back for seconds. 118 proof. $500 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Very Olde St. Nick Superfreak 11 Years Old
A blend of 11 to 18 year old bourbons, or so I was told, this luxe/trippy version of Preservation Distillery’s Very Olde St. Nick pours on a complex mix of vanilla candies, caramel corn, and peanut brittle. What I loved the most was the chai spice on the finish. I’ve never seen this in the wild, alas. 116.2 proof. $NA
Evan Williams 12 Years Old
I wondered why I’d never seen this whiskey before and the answer made immediate sense: It’s only sold at the Evan Williams distillery, of course (though you’ll find some available on secondary sites, too). It reminded me a lot of some of the best Evan Williams Single Barrel offerings, with a remarkable depth of chocolate and caramel on display. 101 proof. $150 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Dark Arts Bourbon 5 Years Old Cognac Cask
Dark Arts was the darling of the show, with lines stretching around the proverbial block. My favorite of the extensive lineup on display was this 5 year old, cask strength bourbon, sweet and raisiny thanks to its brandy barrel finishing, despite being relatively young. 107.64 proof. $NA
Phifer Pavitt Late Night 11 Years Old
Suzanne Phifer Pavitt now has her own whiskey brand, and future releases will no longer be bottled as BBCo special editions. The whiskey here is still BBCo stock, however, with finishing in Phifer Pavitt’s Date Night cabernet barrels done at Whiskey House. This was tasted as a work in progress, with 13 months of finishing on it. It’s got at least a few more months to go before it’s done. Bright cherry and plum lead to heavier clove and cinnamon notes. The finish is charry, with lingering tannins. Stay tuned. 107 proof. $195
Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2025
A total no-brainer top pick, tasted with master distiller Blake Layfield. Layfield said this was his favorite of the three Cellar Aged releases to date, and based on a small sample, I might be in agreement (though I’ll reserve judgement until we can do a full writeup soon). A lush mix of fruit and caramel, laden with chocolate notes and some baking spice, it’s exceptionally well-formed whiskey. 112.9 proof. about $400 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Penelope Rye Tokaji Cask Finish 9 Years Old
A new version of a whiskey we enjoyed when we reviewed it last year, now hitting 9 years if age, including time in Tokaji wine casks. That dessert-like sweetness tamps down the experience, making room amidst the waves of grain for plenty of honey and fruit and caramel. Another we hope to cover soon. 106 proof. $90 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Heaven’s Door Decade Series III 10 Years Old
The third installment in this series from Heaven’s Door is a blend of 92% bourbon and 8% rye. The rye influence is more subtle than you’d think, but it enriches the whiskey wonderfully. Might be the best of the Decade Series to date, and at a surprisingly reasonable price. 100 proof. $100
Barrell Bourbon 12 Years Old
Finished in French oak casks, the wood treatment tempers this whiskey considerably. It’s no Ice Wine (my #1 pick from 2024) but I had no complaints with this encounter, a silky little number that felt far less punchy than its 54.25% abv. Hopefully we’ll have a full review for you soon. 108.5 proof. $NA
Kentucky Peerless Single Barrel “Orange Cream Soda”
The name doesn’t lie; this was a Peerless barrel pick selected for the show, and the fruit was on full alert. More orange peel than orange juice, for my money, but who’s counting? 107 proof. $NA
Larrikin Rosewater
Why is it called Rosewater? Because it has roses in the whiskey: This bourbon from Larrikin is finished with rose petals which are steeped like a tea. That sounds awful but the results speak for themselves, giving the most nuanced floral notes to a hearty bourbon — much unlike the lavender-flavored whiskey I had earlier in the day. One you have to taste to really “get.” I think it works. 86 proof. $70
Castle & Key Experimental Series Rye Finished in Rum Casks
A complex, one-off blend of two barrels of Castle & Key rye — 63% rye, 17% corn, 20% barley — finished in rum barrels for 29 months. The rum lives large in this wacky offering, boldly pouring on molasses and brown sugar but finding room for florals and a coconut-infused finish. Lots of fun, but not something you’ll likely find in the wild. 113.5 proof. $85
Buckner’s Bourbon 10 Years Old
August Distillery had 8, 10, and 13 year old samples of Buckner’s on tap. I thought the middle child was the best, just a killer expression of spice and sweetness, with cookies crumbled over the top. This is a single barrel offering (barrel 96) so mileage and abv will vary, but what August brought to the show was killing it. 118.2 proof. $150 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
Angel’s Envy Peated Cask Rye
This wasn’t my favorite whiskey of the show, but it was the most unusual I tasted, an Angel’s Envy rye finished in Islay Scotch barrels. Quite smoky and oaky, with ample tannins and mixed greenery to show for itself. We’ll have a full review up soon with more to talk about. Apologies for the blurry pic. 100 proof. $55 (375ml)
Hartfield & Co. Family Reserve Bourbon 18 Years Old
Another bourbon finished in French oak, which helps disguise the fact that this is 18 years old. Well-tempered, if a bit austere. 130.2 proof. $425
Forbidden Bourbon
This isn’t a new release, but it was my first visit with Marianne Eaves‘ flagship bourbon, and I thought it was a little gem, a solidly constructed whiskey laden with butterscotch and vanilla cream. Ample caramel corn lingers on the back end, but it works with the soft, relatively tame abv. A high-end highball would be great. 95.2 proof. $130
