Kentucky Wildcask Bourbon Review

Kentucky Wildcask Bourbon
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
2025 Limited Release
100 Proof
University of Kentucky James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits (JBBI)
SRP: $54.99 / 750ml
Review

Please enjoy our Kentucky Wildcask Bourbon review!

The first bourbon from the University of Kentucky James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits (JBBI) Distillery

Kentucky Wildcask Bourbon is the first spirit release from the University of Kentucky James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits (JBBI), and a product of the newly created Commercialization of Distilled Spirits Course. The course teaches students how to monetize their craft, and to those means, they have launched a brand from start to finish.

The Specifics

Kentucky Wildcask Bourbon is a blend of 3 bourbons from 2 different Kentucky distilleries:

• 35% 8 year old bourbon from the James B. Beam Distilling Company, with a mash bill of 78% corn, 13% rye and 9% malted barley
• 35% 5 Year Old bourbon from Bardstown Bourbon Company with a mash bill of 68% corn, 20% wheat and 12% malted barley
• 30% 4.5 year old bourbon from Bardstown Bourbon Company with a mash bill of 53% corn, 39% wheat and 8% malted barley

It is non-chill filtered and around 2,500 bottles are available. Proceeds from sales of the inaugural 2025 release will be reinvested in scholarships, research, and programming.

Tasting Notes – Kentucky Wildcask Bourbon review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉🏻Nose: Mildly sweet simple syrup, subtle rye spices, hot cinnamon candies, a touch of spearmint; sweet cherry candy, dark cherries, hints of sweet apples; unsweetened tea; mild oak; alcohol vapor appropriate for the proof
👉🏻Taste: Moderate simple syrup sweetness, mild hot cinnamon, tart orange peel, unsweetened tea; mild dry oak; developing white pepper spice
👉🏻Finish: Increasingly dry; tart orange peel, unsweetened tea; moderate persistent white pepper spice; hot cinnamon; mild char and dry wood later on; long; pleasant warmth

The nose of Kentucky Wildcask Bourbon is mildly sweet, with a simple syrup sweetness. There’s quite a bit of fruit, like a combination of cherry candy (not exactly a fruit), dark cherries and hints of sweet red apples. Tart orange peel, hot cinnamon candies, mild rye spice, and unsweetened tea with a touch of spearmint provide a nice contrast to the sweeter fruits. A touch of oak is present, too. The alcohol vapor is appropriate for the proof.

The taste has similar flavors to the nose, but the simple syrup sweetness is turned up a notch. There are still the hot cinnamon candies, tart orange peel and unsweetened tea, as well as some mild dry oak and developing white pepper spice. The finish becomes increasingly dry, with the flavors lingering on. The white pepper spice becomes more noticeable and persists for quite a while. Tart orange peel, unsweetened tea and hot cinnamon candies remain as well. Later on there is mild barrel char as well as some dry wood. The finish is quite long, with a pleasant warmth.

Summary

Kentucky Wildcask Bourbon is a very enjoyable pour. It has more consistent flavors from start to finish than many bourbons, but yet the flavors evolve, as well. The sweeter fruits and cinnamon spice in the nose give way to increasing white pepper spice in the finish, providing just enough complexity to compel me to take another sip. Well done, students! Your future is bright!

Have you tried Kentucky Wildcask Bourbon from the University of Kentucky James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits (JBBI)? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Kentucky Wildcask Bourbon review! Read about more bourbons and other whiskeys in our Bourbon Reviews.

Note: I am affiliated with the University of Kentucky, but not directly with the JBBI.

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