Limestone Farms Bourbon Review – Morgan Family Collection

Limestone Farms Bourbon Review
Morgan Family Collection

Please enjoy our Limestone Farms Bourbon review!

“Always full-bodied and higher proof, our Morgan Family Collection delivers a luxurious bourbon experience that stays true to our blending mission of: Clean, delineated flavor profiles, that deliver a full flavor experience from start to finish, rewarding you with a long lingering finish that asks for another sip.” – Limestone Farms

A Visit To Limestone Farms

Recently, my wife and I had the pleasure of visiting Barry Downing at Limestone Farms’ blending facility in Georgetown, Kentucky. Barry, himself an industry veteran, serves as Limestone Farms Executive Vice President and Master Blender. And, as it turns out, working on a blend was just what he was doing when we arrived for our visit.

I know the word “crafted” gets tossed around fairly freely, but it is completely appropriate when talking about Limestone Farms. Barry does indeed craft his blends, as well as the component bourbons. It all starts out with selecting excellent barrels of bourbon. Then, some of those barrels he may use as they are, others he will re-barrel, and others he may add staves to. Or he may do any combination of those things. The final step is blending various bourbons together to obtain the perfect combination of flavors.

When Barry is blending, his goal is to “layer” flavors, creating complex bourbons with no blank spots in their flavor profile. As we sampled from his wide variety of barrels, and ultimately the finished blends, it was clear that he is succeeding at his goal. So, now, let’s take a look at Limestone Farms first bourbons, called the Morgan Family Collection.

Limestone Farms The Morgan Family Collection consists of the white labeled Select Batch, the mahogany labeled Small Batch, and the black labeled Private Stock. While they have their differences, they have their similarities, too. We’ll explore them one at a time.

Limestone Farms Bourbon Reviews – Morgan Family Collection

Limestone Farms Select Batch Bourbon (White Label)

MSRP: $150
Proof: 111
Mash Bill: 78% Corn / 13% Rye / 9% Malted Barley
Aged: Blend of 6-9yr old barrels

Select Batch was the first of the Limestone Farms bourbons to reach bars and store shelves. It was first released back in June 2023. Although it is a blend of 6-9 year old barrels, the 9 year old barrels make up the majority of the mix.

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉🏻Nose: Sweet dark cherries and raspberries, hint of lavender; subtle black tea; cedar, honey and caramel; hints of hot cinnamon; moderate alcohol vapor
👉🏻Taste: Honey, raspberries, orange peel, hot cinnamon, dry wood
👉🏻Finish: Dry wood, moderate white pepper spice, lingering cherry candy, tart orange peel and hot cinnamon; hint of char; long with plenty of warmth

In the nose, dark cherries, raspberries and cedar are dominant, with a hint of lavender, on a background of honey and caramel, as well as hot cinnamon. The taste begins fairly sweet, with honey, raspberries, orange peel, hot cinnamon and dry wood, later on. The finish is long, becoming more dry, with dry wood, growing white pepper spice, a hint of lingering cherry candy, cinnamon and char. There’s a pleasant lasting warmth as well. This is a bold and full-flavored bourbon.

Limestone Farms Small Batch Bourbon (Mahogany Label)

MSRP: $190
Proof: 110.4 (varies by batch)
Mash Bill: 78% Corn / 13% Rye / 9% Malted Barley
Age: 9 Years

Small Batch is a blend of Limestone Farms’ best 9 year old barrels. They are said to have been distilled at Clermont Springs Distilling, which is a name used by Jim Beam.

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉🏻Nose: Dark cherry, cedar, sweet caramel, tart orange citrus, dry oak; moderate alcohol
👉🏻Taste: Dark cherries, brown sugar, dry oak, tart orange citrus, cedar, tannins and growing white pepper spice; hint of milk chocolate
👉🏻Finish: Increasing white pepper spice; mild barrel char; lingering sweet cherries and tart oranges; mild dry oak; long; moderate warmth

Dark cherries greet me in the nose, and then are joined by sweet caramel and dry oak, with cedar and tart orange citrus later on. Similar flavors continue into the taste, with the caramel being replaced by brown sugar, and blending very well with the dark cherries, as well as with the, complimentary but opposite, citrus, tannins and white pepper. A hint of milk chocolate appears from time to time in the background. The long finish brings increasing white pepper, while the fruit flavors fade, but linger, with mild dry oak and a pleasant warmth.

The Limestone Farms Small Batch Bourbon is another bold bourbon. It is less sweet up front than the others, but has the heat and spice later on that is common to all three bourbons of the Morgan Family Collection. The fruit in the nose is also less noticeable than in the Select Batch and Private Stock. However, dry wood is more noticeable in the nose and taste, but less so in the finish, than in the other two.

Limestone Farms Private Stock Bourbon (Black Label)

MSRP: $225
Proof: 113.2
Mash Bill: 70% Corn / 10% Honey’d Wheat / 10% Honey’d Malted Barley / 10% Distillers Malt
Age: 7 years 9 months and older

Limestone Farms Private Stock contains a very unique bourbon. Originally distilled at New Riff Distilling for Mike Safai, one of the original partners of Rabbit Hole, and the creator of the recipe and process for these barrels. This bourbon has been patiently waiting to be enjoyed, and now is its time.

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉🏻Nose: Sweet cherries, but darker stone fruits as well, maybe plums; tart orange peel, light butterscotch, syrupy thick brown sugar; mild dry oak and cedar; hint of confectionary notes; moderate alcohol
👉🏻Taste: Fairly dry; brown sugar, orange peel, tannins and a hint of milk chocolate; dry oak later on
👉🏻Finish: Pronounced white pepper spice, fairly dry, subtle barrel char and dry oak; hints of dark cherries; very long with lingering heat

At first, the sweet cherries are dominant to me in the nose. However, once I am acclimated to them, the other flavors of darker stone fruits, tart orange, light butterscotch, mild dry oak and cedar become more noticeable. There’s a rich, but subtle confectionary overtone in the background as well. The taste starts off with brown sugar and a hint of milk chocolate, but rapidly becomes more dry with orange peel and tannins, and dry oak, too. In the fairly dry finish, the white pepper spice takes charge but other flavors linger as well. This is a full flavored, no holds barred bourbon, and I love it!

Conclusion: Limestone Farms Bourbon Review – Similar, But Different

All three of the Limestone Farms bourbons are bold and full flavored. They all have a bit of a mature character to them, most notably the Small Batch and Private Stock, and most evident in the finish. The Select Batch does have some younger characteristics, which makes sense as some 6 year old bourbon is also in the blend. The bourbons of the Morgan Family Collection all have a similar progression from sweeter flavors and stone fruits up front, to spice and warmth in the finish. Nonetheless, each brings something different to the table. While I enjoy them all, my personal favorite is the Private Stock, with its complexity, rich flavors and confectionary overtones, but plenty of spice and mature characteristics as well. What will your favorite be? Try them all and see! Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Limestone Farms Bourbon review!

NOTE: These samples were graciously provided for my review by Barry Downing and the distillery.
Photo credits: Limestone Farms

Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!