Brown Forman’s King of Kentucky Single Barrel Bourbon Is Back

We’ve already reported on releases like the new Pappy Van Winkle collection, Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch, and Birthday Bourbon. But the whiskey hits keep on coming, because Brown-Forman just announced the details of its annual King of Kentucky release, which has become one of the most collectible bourbons you can find in recent years.

The King of Kentucky name has been around for more than a century, although the whiskey itself has gone through some significant changes over the years since it was first released in the late 1800s as a straight bourbon. Brown-Forman acquired the brand in 1936 and arguably diminished its stature by turning it into a blended whiskey, which admittedly was a lot more popular at the time. It was ultimately discontinued in 1968, but revived in 2018—once again as a straight bourbon, but now as a single barrel expression bottled at barrel proof. The eighth release came out last year, and the brand introduced a trio of bourbons at various proofs (105, 107.5, 110) as part of the King of Kentucky Small Batch Collection last spring.

This month, the single-barrel version of King of Kentucky has returned, made from the same mashbill as usual—79 percent corn, 11 percent rye, and 10 percent malted barley—at Brown-Forman’s Shively Distillery just outside of Louisville. The 2026 release is made up of two lots of 14-year-old bourbon that totaled 99 barrels. According to the brand, 51 of those were matured on the third floor of Warehouse I, and 48 were matured on the first floor of Warehouse L at Shively. The bourbon was bottled at barrel proof that ranges between 125 and 135, depending on which barrel the bottle comes from.

“This year’s King of Kentucky is a remarkable expression of what time, careful maturation, and thoughtful barrel selection can create,” said assistant master distiller Caleb Trigo in a statement. “Each of these 99 barrels was selected for its exceptional character, and after 14 years of aging, they deliver the bold, complex profile that defines King of Kentucky.” The sample I got to try was on the higher end of the spectrum at around 134 proof, which is getting dangerously close to hazmat level. Still, this was a very good bourbon, with rich notes of dark chocolate, caramel shell topping, butterscotch, wet leather, tobacco, maple, and fresh cracked black pepper on the palate. Yes, it’s hot, but certainly not undrinkable, and a little bit of water goes a long way here if you want to treat it like a high-proof scotch.

Each King of Kentucky bottle comes with a wax top and a label that includes details like proof, age, warehouse location, lot number, serial number, and barrel number. It’s available now in select markets around the country with a list price of $400, but it may be priced higher than that if you find a bottle.