Town Branch Imperium MMXXVI (2026) Bourbon Review

Town Branch
Imperium MMXXVI (2026)
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Cask Strength | Non-Chill-Filtered
115.1 Proof
SRP: $119.99
Review by Craig and Cynthia

Please enjoy our Town Branch Imperium MMXXVI (2026) Bourbon Review by Craig and Cynthia!

Background — Town Branch’s Eight-Barrel Imperium Blend

Before downtown Lexington’s paved streets ran thick with modern city life, Town Branch creek fed the historic springhouses of Kentucky’s distilleries. Today, Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. holds the crown as the first distillery built in downtown Lexington since Prohibition. Born from Irish roots and forged in copper pot stills, its bourbon is famous for bridging the gap between craft beer and fine bourbon. Does this urban Kentucky pour deliver on the palate? Let’s dive into the glass.

Created with a blend of eight barrels, this release combines a 50/50 blend of wheated and rye-recipe bourbons. The rye-recipe bourbon portion is split equally between pot-distilled and column-distilled bourbon, making for a unique and interesting offering. This release is aged for 6–9+ years and bottled at 115.1 proof.

Details — Town Branch Imperium MMXXVI (2026) Bourbon Review

• Distillery: Town Branch Distillery, part of Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co., Lexington, Kentucky
• Expression: Imperium MMXXVI (2026)
• Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Head Distiller & Blender: Dave Bob Gaspar
• Release: Third annual Imperium release, released in September 2026 during Bourbon Heritage Month
• Batch Size: Eight barrels
• Blend: 50% wheated bourbon, 25% pot-distilled rye-recipe bourbon and 25% column-distilled rye-recipe bourbon
  • Pot-Still Bourbon Mash Bill: 72% corn, 15% rye and 13% malted barley
  • Column-Still Bourbon Mash Bill: 72% corn, 15% rye and 13% malted barley
  • Column-Still Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill: 70% corn, 22% wheat and 8% malted barley
• Age: 6 to 9+ years
• Proof: 115.1 (cask strength) / ABV: 57.55%
• Filtration: Non-chill-filtered
• Release Size: 205 six-bottle cases
• SRP: $119.99 / 750 mL
• Availability: Limited release in select markets
• Brand Website: LexingtonBrewingCo.com

Tasting Notes — Town Branch Imperium MMXXVI (2026) Bourbon Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested: 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass
🎨 Color: Copper

Craig
👉🏻 Nose: Boozy Fig Newtons, savory notes, confectioners’ sugar, Red Vines, tart apples, apricot, caramel, butterscotch, vanilla, marshmallow creme, slight anise, pecan cluster, sweet baking spices, rich toasted oak.
👉🏻 Taste: Luxardo cocktail cherries, floral honey, cinnamon, savory notes, molasses cookie, oak, pecan pie with whipped cream; thick, rich, exceptionally oily and decadent mouthfeel.
👉🏻 Finish: Long, lingering, deeply warming without drinking hot; pecan pie, caramelized sugar, pecan crème brûlée.

Cynthia
👉🏻 Nose: Sweetness, lush cherries, rich brownies, honey, bright orange; floral notes when revisited later.
👉🏻 Taste: Butterscotch, cream soda ice cream float, subtle black pepper; after opening up further: herbal notes, dark chocolate, sweet, tangy and savory BBQ sauce; cherrywood, dill or thyme, crisp green apples when revisited. Thick texture.
👉🏻 Finish: Remarkably long, with lingering dessert and savory notes; a warm, smooth hug.

Craig’s Imperium MMXXVI (2026) Bourbon Review — Rich Fruit, Pecan Pie and Toasted Oak

The nose opens with inviting boozy Fig Newton aromas accompanied by subtle savory notes, a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, and a distinct hint of Red Vines. Bright notes of freshly cut tart apples and apricot lift the bouquet, unfolding into plenty of your classic caramel, butterscotch, and vanilla notes along with marshmallow creme. Returning for a second visit reveals slight anise intermingled with a chewy pecan cluster and sweet baking spices, while lots of rich toasted oak provides a deep and sturdy backbone throughout. I highly recommend that you spend a good amount of time nosing this one before moving on to tasting it!

While the nosing notes are fantastic, the palate of Town Branch Imperium MMXXVI gets even better. It opens with rich Luxardo cocktail cherries and sweet floral honey, balanced by cinnamon and a distinct savory character. The mouthfeel is exceptionally oily and decadent, delivering the lush texture of a freshly baked molasses cookie. Upon a second sip, the pour expands with prominent oak and a warming spice that blankets the full palate. Cinnamon resurfaces alongside decadent pecan pie topped with whipped cream, maintaining its thick, rich, and remarkably oily texture throughout.

The finish is long and lingering, offering a deeply warming quality that makes its high proof known without ever drinking hot. Notes of pecan pie and caramelized sugar unfold across the palate, morphing into a rich pecan crème brûlée. The comforting warmth slowly fades, leaving a sweet and decadent final impression.

Cynthia’s Review — Butterscotch, Dessert and Savory Surprises

Right out of the gate on that first pass, you get hit with an immediate wave of pure sweetness. Let Town Branch Imperium MMXXVI breathe a second, or three, and it opens up into this gorgeous blend of lush cherries, rich brownies, warm honey, and bright pops of orange. Going back to my glass later in the day, it completely shifted gears on me, offering up some lovely, unexpected floral notes.

That first sip coats your mouth with heavy butterscotch. The texture is wonderfully thick, and it hangs around with a remarkably long finish. As you keep going back to it, it turns into an absolute dessert. Think of a cream soda ice cream float, complete with subtle hints of black pepper creeping in on the back end. Give it some extra air, and some really cool herbal notes start to play alongside dark chocolate and a rich BBQ sauce profile that hits that sweet, tangy, and savory trifecta.

Revisiting it later in the day brought out a whole different side: cherrywood, a nice hit of dill or thyme, and crisp green apples.

That remarkably long finish refuses to quit, lingering on the palate and letting all those complex dessert and savory notes fade out slowly. The warmth delivers a wonderfully smooth hug that is thoroughly appreciated from start to finish.

Craig’s Conclusion — A Complex Bourbon That Rewards Slow Sipping

Town Branch Imperium MMXXVI is a rich, complex, and beautifully balanced experience from start to finish. Anchored by an exceptionally oily mouthfeel and deep oak backbone, it seamlessly transitions from bright fruit and savory complexity on the nose into lush dessert notes of molasses, pecan pie, and crème brûlée on the palate and finish. The high proof provides remarkable warmth and power without a single drop of heat, making it an extraordinary pour that rewards slow sipping and repeated visits.

Cynthia’s Conclusion — An Evolving Pour with Food-Pairing Potential

Tracking Town Branch Imperium MMXXVI down at the 2026 Kentucky Bourbon Festival turned out to be an absolute win because this pour is pure deliciousness. It’s the kind of complex bottle that begs to be paired with food. I’d love to try matching it with a charcuterie plate featuring mild cheeses, drizzle it over some bread pudding, or sip it alongside a spinach and apple salad. A fun candied bacon and bourbon jello shot would be a blast with this profile.

If you get your hands on a bottle, clear some time to just sit back and watch how it evolves in your glass. It’s a fun one!

Have you tried the Town Branch Imperium MMXXVI (2026) Bourbon? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

Editor’s Note:  I tasted this bourbon on multiple occasions, as well, and I really enjoyed it. It is a very complex, delicious, layered bourbon, probably one of the best that I have had from Town Branch. As reflected in Craig and Cynthia’s review, I also thought that its flavors changed over time and on different tasting occasions. It is an excellent bourbon and one that is definitely worth trying if you have the opportunity.

We hope you have enjoyed our Town Branch Imperium MMXXVI (2026) Bourbon Review by Craig and Cynthia! Next, read Ray Marcano’s Town Branch Overproof Kentucky Straight Whiskey Review, explore our Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. Tour, or enjoy another review by Craig and Cynthia: 15 STARS First West Explorer Bourbon Review.

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

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!