Apricot | Peach | Toasted oak | Light cinnamon | Almond | Honey

Dried raspberry | Black cherry | Cinnamon | Sweet oak

Cinnamon spice | Dry oak | Agave | Dried fruit | Touch of clove

Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company is a brewery and distillery operation based in Lexington, Kentucky. The company was founded in 1999 by Pearse Lyons, the president and founder of animal nutrition company Alltech. They made a splash in the beer scene thanks to their Kentucky Ale, and later opened up Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. in 2012 and launched Town Branch Bourbon.

Town Branch Imperium MMXXV marks the second annual release in the series. This year’s edition draws from Town Branch’s exclusive “Imperium Bourbon Stocks.” As the company tastes through barrels throughout the year, they set aside ones that they feel meet the quality level for an Imperium release. When it comes time to blend for the latest release, they narrow the barrels down to six. This year includes a mix of pot-still and column-still bourbons, one of which is a wheated bourbon.

The bourbon’s aroma opens in a delightful place thanks to scents of apricot, peach, toasted oak, cinnamon, almond, and honey. The palate is more fruit forward with dried raspberry and black cherry and cinnamon and oak for contrast. The finish hits in cinnamon spice upfront, before layering in dry oak, agave, direct mixed fruit, and just a touch of clove.

It’s hard to argue that all of the right flavors are present. It’s a broad range which makes for a dynamic, yet contrasting sip. This is a bourbon whose flavors don’t necessarily play nice together, fighting for attention. With a bit of dry oak bitterness on the finish, some who are accustomed to sweet tasting bourbons may struggle. For the bourbon enthusiast, there is a lot going on: fruit is contrasted by spice, sweet oak is contrasted by dry oak. Though the sip doesn’t completely meld, the value of this bourbon comes in how unexpected it is.