Hazelnut | Allspice | Pipe tobacco | Charred oak

Walnut | Cola | Molasses | Baking spices | Vanilla wafer

Brown sugar | Dark maple syrup | Seasoned oak | Cinnamon slurry | Oak bitterness

The K.Luke brand was created by husband-wife team Jonathan and Jennifer Maisano and named after their two children, Kaitlyn and Lucas. Jonathan is also a first-level certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. Eleven batches in, K. Luke has become a fan-favorite brand due to its quality blends. Though its label design doesn’t quite match what you necessarily get in the bottle, it seems to matter very little, as new batches tend to be eagerly awaited by many bourbon drinkers.

One common thread among K. Luke’s blended bourbon batches is that they strive to be traditional in nature. Typically, there aren’t wild flavor combinations, and they are built on a quality foundation - a trait that should be music to bourbon lovers’ ears.

Like we often see in other big barrel proof bourbons, like Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, Larceny Barrel Proof Bourbon, or Stagg, K.Luke Blended Straight Bourbon Batch 11 is flushed with similar big, robust flavors. The nose is ripe with hazelnut, allspice, pipe tobacco, and charred oak. Not straying too far, the palate hits you with hazelnut, cola, molasses, and baking spices. The finish stays in the same wheelhouse, offering big brown sugar notes, dark maple syrup, seasoned oak, and savory cinnamon slurry. I did notice after sequential sips over a period of time, the finish began to develop some oak bitterness. It doesn't reach off putting status, but is a stark contrast to the sweet and savory palate that fires on all cylinders.  

K.Luke Blended Straight Bourbon Batch 11 offers a lot of the flavors that have come to define big, robust bourbons. As many of these types of bourbons can be hard to obtain from the big Kentucky distilleries, K.Luke Blended Straight Bourbon Batch 11 is a satisfying backup plan - if you even want to call it that. Though its price is high, Batch 11 is a flavorful bourbon at 120 proof, and anyone who likes this particular style of bourbon will find a ton to love in K.Luke’s latest batch.