King of Kentucky, the annual limited-edition single-barrel bourbon from Brown-Forman, is a perennial bourbon of the year contender, and 2025’s release is finally here.
This year marks the 8th edition of the premium release, which was crafted from 63 single barrels filled in 2007 and bottled at proof levels ranging from 124.4 to 135. The 2025 release also follows a recent trend of increasing age statements for the limited expression, which has previously been a showcase for 14-, 15-, and 16-year-old bourbons (with one outlier, an 18-year expression, released in 2022) in the past few years. The grain recipe in this expression consists of 79% corn, 11% rye, and 10% malted barley, which is notable because it’s the same mashbill used for Old Forester 1924 and Early Times Bottled in Bond Bourbon, two other expressions under the Brown-Forman umbrella of offerings.
In creating this year’s release, Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris ended up selecting 63 barrels from the 4th floor of Warehouse J and the first floor of Warehouse G at the Brown-Forman Distillery, with the liquid drawn from two different production dates. Those 63 barrels produced just 5,000 bottles, which will be distributed nationally and carry a suggested retail price (SRP) of $399.
In the past three years, King of Kentucky has made some dramatic leaps on the Uproxx “Best Bourbon Of The Year” lists, jumping from 30th in 2022 to 14th in 2023 before landing in the top three of 2024.
While it remains to be seen how high this year’s expression will rank, it’s almost inevitable that the crown jewel from the Brown-Forman portfolio will be featured yet again.
Let’s give it a taste, shall we?
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2025 King Of Kentucky 17-Year Single Barrel Bourbon Review
ABV: 63.5%
Average Price: $400 SRP
The Whiskey:
This single-barrel bourbon was initially distilled in 2007 and then aged for 17 years before being bottled at a proof range of 124.4 to 135. The 5,000-bottle release comes from just 63 barrels that were aged in either Warehouse J or Warehouse G at the Brown-Forman Distillery.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey is full of chocolate fudge, cloves, butterscotch, vanilla extract, and freshly cracked black pepper. It’s an intriguing and inviting melange that asserts its stern proof-point while drawing you deeper into the glass courtesy of its decadent layers of flavor. Fresh black cherries, hazelnut spread, honeysuckle, and torched orange peel notes can also be found as you allow the liquid to rest in the glass and evolve over time. Simply put, the nose is magnificent.
Palate: On first blush, this whiskey is chock-full of a surprisingly bright cherry note with sugar cookies, fresh cinnamon bark, and Tahitian vanilla all flowing over the palate. Accents of fresh almonds, honeyed baklava, a rum-like funk, and hazelnut spread can be found if you go searching, but again, I’m deeply impressed by the buoyancy of the cherry note, which is more Chelan-like than the more standard black cherries or cocktail cherries you tend to find in mature bourbon.
The texture is buttery and full-bodied, making it a reward to roll the liquid over your tongue and slowly savor it with some chewing, where the vanilla and nutty notes are dialed up a bit.
Finish: the finish is incredibly lengthy, and it’s the only part of each sip where the oak influence can be prominently detected. That, of course, isn’t a bad thing, as that slight bit of astringency is balanced by sweet vanilla, almond extract, stewed plum, and faint leather notes. There’s even some honeyed black tea and vermouth-like flavors that emerge at the end, where the bright cherry note remains present but takes a backseat to the bit players.
Bottom Line:
Going into this expression with high expectations is, well, to be expected. What caught me off guard, however, was the sprightly cherry note that accompanied the 2025 King of Kentucky’s prototypical multi-layered sipping experience. It threaded the needle throughout each stage of enjoyment, from the nose to the finish, and provided Oscar-award-winning entertainment alongside supporting flavors that were equally impressive.
To cast a critical blow, the astringency on the finish does increase in prominence over time, and depending on your tolerance for oak, that might mar the experience for you. But at 17 years of age, seasoned bourbon drinkers will anticipate far more oak than you find here, and the overall balance of flavors from start to finish is never disrupted.
The delicate and well-defined Chelan cherry-led sweetness of this year’s expression is deserving of top marks, making it a particularly unique entrant in the vaunted lineup.
The 2025 King of Kentucky is yet another crowning achievement.
Ranking: 98/100