Castle & Key Bourbon 750ML

Castle & Key Small Batch Bourbon 750ML is an ultra-premium, highly acclaimed Kentucky straight bourbon bottled at 51% ABV (101 proof). Crafted from the ground up at one of the state's most historically significant distilling sites, this signature expression marks a definitive milestone for craft whiskey processing. Reaching an aged maturity of 6 years, it has earned glowing industry accolades—including a 101-proof upgrade that highlights its deep, lively complexity—positioning it as a unique, fruit-forward benchmark for modern Kentucky distilling.

Quick Facts: ABV: 51% (101 proof) | Origin: Frankfort, Kentucky, USA | Age: 6 Years | Distillery: Castle & Key Distillery | Size: 750ML

Production & Heritage

The physical origin of Castle & Key takes place at the legendary Old Taylor Distillery estate in Frankfort, Kentucky. Originally built in 1887 by Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr., the site pioneered the concept of the "distillery destination," featuring a massive limestone castle, a classical springhouse, and beautifully manicured sunken gardens. After falling into complete ruin following decades of abandonment, the historic property was rescued in 2014 by a group of visionaries who spent years meticulously restoring the architecture and installing state-of-the-art Vendome copper column stills to resurrect the site under the name Castle & Key.

What technically distinguishes Castle & Key Bourbon is its uncompromising, grain-to-glass mash bill, combining 73% white corn, 17% malted barley, and 10% rye. Rather than sourcing aged stock from industrial megasites, every drop is mashed, fermented, and distilled entirely from scratch on-site. The clear spirit enters the barrel at a low 107 proof, allowing the liquid to absorb delicate, rich wood sugars without a heavy ethanol burn. It is aged for 6 years inside flame-charred white oak barrels tucked within the facility's historic Warehouse B—famously recognized as the longest continuous brick aging warehouse in the world.

Tasting Notes

• Aroma: Bright, sweet, and highly inviting. The nose opens with a prominent wave of graham cracker, butterscotch candy, and fresh honey, sharply punctuated by secondary top notes of red apple, lemon curd, and a delicate hint of honeysuckle.

• Taste: Full-bodied, lively, and incredibly crisp on the entry. The front of the tongue is treated to an immediate coating of rich molasses, golden raisins, and warm toffee flavor. Across the mid-palate, it develops a complex structure, revealing deeper dimensions of baked gala apples, orange zest, praline pecans, and a warm touch of cinnamon and clove.

• Finish: Medium-to-long, elegant, and perfectly balanced. The sweet wood-sugar elements recede cleanly, transitioning into a dry signature of fresh shortbread cookies, candied orange peel, cacao nibs, and a final, lingering crack of white pepper spice.

How to Drink Castle & Key Bourbon

Sipping this bourbon neat or over a single large, slow-melting clear ice block at room temperature is highly recommended, as the 101-proof bottling strength perfectly balances a rich, oily mouthfeel with zero aggressive alcohol heat. In craft mixology, its high-malt, low-rye mash bill provides a structurally unique foundation that completely upgrades classic cocktail templates. It acts as an incredible base in a Boston Sour (shaken with fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and an egg white) or serves as an elegant anchor in a traditional Old Fashioned, where the spirit's innate apple, citrus, and baking spice notes blend seamlessly with aromatic bitters.

Best For

• Whiskey enthusiasts and collectors looking to experience a proprietary, 100% scratch-made Kentucky craft bourbon from a historic estate

• Gifting bourbon connoisseurs who appreciate a bright, fruit-forward, and lively profile over standard, heavy leather-and-smoke flavors

• Serving as a sophisticated, conversation-starting centerpiece pour for home tastings and fine social gatherings

• Elevating elegant whiskey sours, highballs, and traditional stirred craft cocktails

Frequently Asked Questions

• What does Castle & Key Bourbon taste like? It features a bright, complex profile that leads with upfront flavors of graham cracker, butterscotch, and honey, shifts into a lively middle of baked apple, orange zest, and toffee, and concludes with a clean finish marked by cacao nibs and white pepper.

• How does this compare to mass-market brands like Buffalo Trace? Buffalo Trace utilizes a traditional yellow corn and rye-heavy mash bill aged in standard facilities, yielding a classic, deep profile centered on heavy vanilla, dark caramel, oak smoke, and leather. Castle & Key uses a high-malt, white corn recipe aged in a massive historic brick warehouse, resulting in a noticeably brighter, fruitier, and more citrus-forward profile with unique graham cracker and shortbread complexities.

• Is Castle & Key Bourbon chill-filtered? No. To preserve the maximum depth of its delicate grain lipids, essential oils, and wood flavors extracted during its 6-year slumber, the bourbon is bottled entirely non-chill filtered, which may cause a slight, completely natural cloudiness when chilled or poured over ice.

• Where is this bourbon distilled? Every drop is mashed, fermented, double-distilled, aged, and bottled under strict regulatory guidelines at the fully restored Castle & Key Distillery (the historic former Old Taylor site) located in Frankfort, Kentucky.

• What foods pair well with Castle & Key Bourbon? Baked ham with a sweet honey glaze or smoked pork chops perfectly mirror the spirit’s natural fruit and baking spice elements. On a dessert menu, it pairs spectacularly next to pecan pie, apple tarts, or a dish of bread pudding, where the spirit's 101-proof heat effortlessly slices through the rich fats.

Why Castle & Key Bourbon?

The primary technical advantage of Castle & Key Bourbon lies in its low barrel entry proof, white corn mash bill, and non-chill filtered bottling sequence, providing a structural clarity and vibrant orchard-fruit fidelity that generic, mass-produced blended whiskeys cannot match. Its elite pedigree is firmly established, celebrated by enthusiasts and spirits judges as a masterclass in modern architectural and liquid restoration. Delivering a magnificent taste of Kentucky’s distilling rebirth in a distinctive, beautifully designed bottle, it represents an essential addition to any thoughtful spirits collection.

Specifications

• Varietal/Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

• Product of: United States (Frankfort, Kentucky)

• Size: 750ML

• Proof: 101 (51% ABV)

• Brand: Castle & Key Distillery