KO Distiller’s Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review
This was a pleasant surprise. I have had the opportunity to try a number of KO Distilling whiskies including their Cask Strength Offerings at 120 proof and at least 3 years in age. I found them very hot and a good bit of youth showing through. The Distiller’s Reserve is a different story, however.
BOTTLE DETAILS
- DISTILLER: KO Distilling, Manassas, VA.
- MASH BILL: 70% Corn | 20% Wheat | 10% Barley
- AGE: 4 Years
- YEAR: 2020
- PROOF: 100 Proof (50% ABV)
- MSRP: $69.99
- BUY ONLINE: Wine-Searcher.com - Virginia residents can order straight from the distillery.
LEE'S NOTES
NOSE: Cherry Vanilla | Pepper | Hint of Young Oak | Hint of Tobacco
TASTE: Vanilla | Pepper | Hint of young corn
FINISH: A burst of vanilla followed by a mouth coating of tobacco and a building of spice. The spice lingers for quite a while in a good way providing a long finish.
SHARE WITH: Anyone who likes bourbon. Also wheated bourbon lovers, those into Bottled in Bond bourbons and those who are interested in craft whiskey.
WORTH THE PRICE: $70 for a four year old bourbon is pushing the envelope so I am on the fence on this. I found this quite enjoyable and interesting though and would consider buying a bottle.
BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: At this price I would suggest trying this at a bar or at the distillery. However, I am willing to bet that if you try this at the distillery you will most likely take a bottle home with you.
OVERALL: This was a pleasant surprise. I have had the opportunity to try a number of KO Distilling whiskies including their Cask Strength Offerings at 120 proof and at least 3 years in age. I found them very hot and a good bit of youth showing through. The Distiller’s Reserve is a different story however. The sample I tried was 52 months. A wheated bourbon that is Non Chill Filtered. I would get a slight hint of youth every now and again but overall, this was a very enjoyable bourbon. Soft and sweet going in with a good bit of spice at the end for a wheated bourbon. I have in my collection a 4-year-old Bottled in Bond wheated bourbon from a craft distillery in Kentucky that many people are raving about and I can say that I liked this KO bourbon a lot more.
I must admit that even though I live less than 40 minutes from the distillery, I have not had the opportunity to visit there. After tasting some of their products back in November 2019 at a whiskey fest type event at Mt. Vernon, I was looking into a trip to the distillery but unfortunately 2020 closed upon us before I was able to get there. I certainly will rectify that issue in the near future. The Distiller’s Reserve is a nice addition to the KO lineup. A big step forward in my mind.
BRAND NOTES
- 4-Year-Old’ 100 Proof
- Distilled by KO Distilling in one distilling season
- Hand-crafted from Virginia-grown grains:
- 70% corn, 20% wheat and 10% malted barley
- Certified Kosher, Craft Distilled, and Virginia’s finest
- SRP: $69.99 (750ml)
Tasting Notes
On the nose, KO Distiller’s Reserve begins with warm vanilla notes, which quickly evolve to caramel with hints of baking spice and dried apricot. After more time and two or three drops of water, the caramel morphs into rich English toffee with hints of toasted almonds, and a dusting of dark cocoa. The overall aroma is soft and inviting with a richness expected in a Bourbon with a little more time in the barrel.
Disclaimer: KO Distilling provided Bourbon & Banter with a sample of their product for this review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.