HK Young Toasted Small Batch Bourbon Review | Batch 2

HK Young
Toasted Small Batch
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
91.4 Proof
$64.99
Review

Please enjoy our HK Young Toasted Small Batch Bourbon Review!

Introduction

HK Young Toasted Small Batch Bourbon (Batch No. 2) is the only non-cask strength bourbon in their lineup, bottled at 91.4 proof. The goal here is straightforward: deliver the richness of the brand’s usual higher proof toasted barrel finishing in a softer, more welcoming pour. So how much flavor and structure does this one bring at a lower proof?

For this release, HK Young worked with Independent Stave Company (ISC) to select several distinct toasted finishing barrels for a 6–7 year Kentucky Straight Bourbon. The finishing barrels are listed below. According to the brand, the project was built around how oak, heat, and time can enhance and complement the spirit, with Toasted Small Batch specifically intended to keep the profile approachable while still adding complexity through the finishing barrels.

Details – HK Young Toasted Small Batch Bourbon Review

• Brand: HK Young
• Whiskey: Toasted Small Batch
• Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Batch No.: 2
• Age: 6–7 Years
• Proof: 91.4 (45.7% ABV)
• Suggested Price: $64.99
• Finishing Barrels:
  • Heavy Toast American Oak
  • Custom Spice Toast, Char #1 American Oak
  • Medium Toast, Char #1 Hybrid Oak (American/French)

Tasting Notes – HK Young Toasted Small Batch Bourbon Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested: 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass

Ed
👉🏻 Nose: Moderately sweet; caramel, honey, vanilla, touch of orange citrus; hints of sweet floral notes; alcohol vapor appropriate for the proof; corn bread later on
👉🏻 Taste: Simple syrup sweetness; black tea, tart orange citrus; apples; beginning black pepper spice; tobacco leaves; drier later on
👉🏻 Finish: Increasingly dry & tannic; mild black pepper spice later on; fairly full for its proof

Dean
👉🏻 Nose: Corn nuts, cherry-vanilla, pears; honeysuckle, perhaps
👉🏻 Taste: Corn, oak, apple, red pepper, black tea
👉🏻 Finish: Relatively short, dry, white pepper spice; ended nicely

Flavor Profile – HK Young Toasted Small Batch Bourbon Review

Toasted Small Batch Bourbon opens with sweetness, fruit and hints of floral notes that give the first impression of a softer, approachable pour. As it develops across the palate, that sweetness gradually shifts toward more defined flavors, with tea notes, mild oak, and spice becoming more prominent. The overall progression moves from sweet and rounded early on to drier, spicier and more tannic later in the sip.

The finish leans distinctly dry, with a slightly tannic quality that lingers along with a fairly gentle peppery spice. While the proof remains moderate, the whiskey still carries a solid amount of body, giving this bourbon more presence than one might expect from a 91.4 proof bourbon.

Approachable Proof, Solid Flavor

HK Young Toasted Small Batch Bourbon Batch No. 2 is a very well-done bourbon, with more to it than I would have guessed from the proof alone. I do find the finish a bit more dry and tannic than I would have expected, but it still ends in a pleasant way.

Dean and I both enjoyed this bourbon quite a bit, and his comment that it’s “easy to sip and tasty” fits the overall experience perfectly. If you are looking for a toasted-finish bourbon that packs plenty of flavor and body at a lower proof, this is worth a look.

Have you tried the HK Young Toasted Small Batch Bourbon? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our HK Young Toasted Small Batch Bourbon Review! Next, read these related reviews: HK Young Toasted Barrel Blend Bourbon Review | “No Time For Rye”, HK Young Wheated Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon Review and HK Young Single Barrel Bourbon Review | Cinnamon Twist!

Note: This sample was graciously provided by the Brand for my review. I appreciate it!

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