ColumbusBourbon.com Woodford Header

ColumbusBourbon.com Woodford Header

Monday, August 10, 2020

Kentucky Vintage Bourbon Review

Welcome to the review for Kentucky Vintage Bourbon. My first review in over 3 months! Let's start with the specs!

Manufacturer: Willett Distillery
Age: Not provided

Location Produced: Kentucky Vintage Distillery, Bardstown Kentucky

Mash Bill: Unknown

Aroma (from manufacturer): 
Sweet vanilla, ripe fruit, and oak notes

Taste (from manufacturer): Buttery with a sweetness that I can only describe as "candied corn." The oak notes cut the sweetness.

Finish (from manufacturer): None provided

Proof/Alcohol:
 90 (45% alcohol by volume)

Who is this for?: People looking to try something new at a decent price

Cost (Ohio): Not available for sale in Ohio, but around $30-40 elsewhere

Let's start the review. 

Taste - Score 24 out of 35

On the nose, I picked up apple and vanilla. I got the traditional bourbon notes on the taste (oak, vanilla, etc.), but there wasn't enough uniqueness for my palette. It tasted simple.  

Smoothness/Finish - Score 17 out of 25

The finish for me was medium in terms of length. It was incredibly smooth without much burn. It was approachable and easy to drink. 

Intangibles: Color/Appearance - Score 11 out of 15.

The bottle for Kentucky Vintage is fairly unique with a medallion above the stick on label and a wax top to ensure the bottle hasn't been tampered with. It also has some paragraphs on the distilling process and the history of the brand. 

In terms of color, it looks slightly light. In the pictures below, I compared the Old Grand Dad 114 on the left and Woodford Reserve on the right. I expected the color to be lighter than the Old Grand Dad, but I was surprised it came in lighter than the Woodford. It's not enough to make a difference and it looked good in the glass. 

Availability - Score 0 out of 5

This product is not available in Ohio.   

Overall Value - Score 11 out of 20

I was excited to try Kentucky Vintage and I'm grateful I have such wonderful friends that would give me the bottle as a birthday present. Unfortunately, Kentucky Vintage didn't have enough character or uniqueness to justify the price or to become an everyday favorite. 

What do you think? Let me know in the comments section.


Final Score: 63 out of 100 - Some uniqueness and could be good in the right situation

Note: This review was done by Mark. The bottle was a gift from friend of the site Matty G for my 40th birthday.

No comments:

Post a Comment