Brown Forman
In recent years, Brown-Forman’s King of Kentucky annual release has become one of the most highly sought after bourbon releases of the year. These bottles fly off shelves so quickly that most people never even get the chance to see one in real life.
But not you. You’re here today and will now be armed with all of the knowledge you need to track down the 2025 King of Kentucky release to taste this ultra-premium American whiskey.
2025 King of Kentucky Bourbon Details
What to know:
- Only 5,000 bottles produced
- Pulled from 63 single barrels
- Proof ranges from 124.4 to 135
- Hand-selected from Warehouse J and G by Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris
- Has a price tag of $399
Brown Forman
With only 5,000 bottles produced, this will be a unicorn bottle to find in the wild. That much is certain.
Heck, there are 40,000-50,000 people who attend the Masters each day (Monday-Sunday) and that is considered among the most difficult tickets to get in all of sports. So we’re looking at 1/10th of one day for a whiskey release at a time when bourbon has never been more popular. But it’ll be worth it if you find it!
For those who have had it, the King of Kentucky is among the most delicious, flavorful, and complex bourbons ever released. This year’s barrels were filled back in 2007. Think about how much the world has changed in the time this liquid was aging in those barrels!
Tasting Notes
Cass Anderson / BroBible
Against all odds, I was able to get an advanced sample of the King of Kentucky 8th edition, the 127-proof. It has those incredible toffee, caramel, and butterscotch flavors I look for in an older bourbon that get layered on top of the vanilla from the extra time in the barrel.
At 127-proof, there’s heat to this release but not in a way that tempers the flavors at all. I was still able to close my eyes and pull out toffee, dried fruit, and oak in each sip. I did, of course, save a few sips for a special occasion but had trouble putting this sample down because it was so phenomenal I didn’t want it to end.
Brown Forman and Bringing Back the King of Kentucky
While the King of Kentucky label from Brown-Forman, maker of Jack Daniel’s, dates back to 1881 they have only been releasing the ultra-premium King of Kentucky bottles since 2018 when the brand was rebooted.
Since then, the King of Kentucky has developed an almost cult-like following. Anyone fortunate enough to get a sample of the previous releases will tell you about it. You think vegans and crossfit athletes are dying to talk to you about their hobbies? That’s how King of Kentucky drinkers feel about this ultra-premium whiskey.
The mash bill remains the same year over year: 79% corn, 11% rye, and 10% malted barley.
The 2024 King of Kentucky carried a 16-year age statement so they’ve upped the ante with the 2025, a 17-year release. And at $399/bottle (it was $349 last year), they are probably still very under-priced. The demand for this will be insane.
As you can see above, each bottle is marked with the bottle number, proof, age statement, and notes that it is non-chill filtered and a single barrel release.