Dark brown sugar | Seasoned oak | Molasses | Chestnut | Aged leather | Cherry | Syrup-soaked raisin | Fantastic

Cocoa powder | Syrup-soaked raisin | Cinnamon syrup | Brown sugar | Cherry cola | Spiced stewed apple

Dry leather | Aged oak | Tannic oak | Spiced dark fruits | Cinnamon | Nutmeg | Rye spice

King of Kentucky has cemented itself as one of the most consistent, great-tasting bourbons year after year ever since Brown-Forman began releasing it in 2018. The 2025 version marks the eighth edition for the brand, and like the 2024 release, it is seeing a $50 increase over the previous year. But if one brand has consistently proved its worth, it would be the rightfully named King of Kentucky.  

Age statements for the brand tend to fluctuate by only a few years with each release. The 2025 edition features a 17 year age statement, and you’ll taste every bit of it. Released as a single barrel product, this year’s release consists of 63 barrels, which, according to Brown-Forman Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris, were “personally selected and tasted from the highest-quality warehouses, are a true masterpiece.” It's a big talk, but once again, the bourbon speaks for itself. The barrels for this year’s release were pulled from the fourth floor of Warehouse J and the first floor of Warehouse G, and ranged in proof from 124.5 to 135. The total yield for this year’s release was 5,000 bottles, which, while still small, is larger compared to some of the releases in years past.

Rich is always one of the best ways to describe a King of Kentucky release, and the 2025 edition is once again an incredibly rich-smelling and tasting bourbon. The exceptional aroma swells with brown sugar from its onset, followed by devilish, seasoned oak, rum-like molasses, deep-roasted chestnut, and aged leather, ending with fruity scents of cherry and syrup-soaked raisins. The palate leads with the bold, lightly bitter, and intense chocolate note of cocoa powder. This is followed by maple-soaked raisin, cinnamon syrup, sweet brown sugar, and cherry cola that taste distinct but are nicely balanced. The finish starts with light dry leather before aged oak and tannins come roaring in. From there, spiced dark fruits, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pop of rye spice conclude the sip on a hot and spicy note.

This year’s King of Kentucky is a straightforward pour, but that doesn’t mean it's simple or lacking in complexity. While it doesn't feature any overly unique flavor notes, it’s also not a challenging pour that requires effort to discover its virtues. One sip or smell and you instantly “get” this bourbon. It's rich and bold in the best of ways, and does so in a balanced delivery of its flavors. It tastes like a classic bourbon, but slightly augments its flavors to be bigger and better than what you get in other high-proof, high-aged pours. Once again, King of Kentucky does everything right and continues to be one of bourbon’s best annual releases.