Old Louisville The Kentucky Series 8 Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey 100 Proof 750ml

Every bottle in the Kentucky Series spells out one letter of K-E-N-T-U-C-K-Y in the largest typeface ever used on a bourbon label. Eight letters. Eight bottles. Each one the same 8-year, 100-proof Kentucky straight bourbon inside, each one a different collectible piece of a word that has meant something specific in American spirits for nearly two hundred years. It is a clever concept, a genuinely enjoyable bourbon, and a very specific answer to the question of what Old Louisville Whiskey Co. believes about where the best bourbon comes from: not from a fashionable address, not from a celebrity partnership, but from the word written across eight labels in letters large enough to read from across the room.

The liquid inside is sourced from Bardstown Bourbon Company — the state-of-the-art Bardstown, Kentucky distillery that opened in 2016 and has become one of the most respected contract distillation facilities in the American whiskey industry, producing spirits for dozens of independent brands whose quality standards require Bardstown's combination of precision equipment, experienced production staff, and the specific terroir of the Bourbon Capital of the World. The mash bill is 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley — an unusually high malted barley percentage that contributes a characteristic nutty, slightly biscuity complexity alongside the corn's natural sweetness. Aged 8.5 years in level 3 charred new American oak barrels entered at 120 proof. Bottled at 100 proof.

The Bourbon Whiskey Library found it "excellent in approachability without sacrificing complexity — the 100 proof delivers both flavor and balance without harshness — a strong value for those who appreciate nuanced traditional bourbons with a dessert-like flair." Bourbon Obsessed's two-reviewer panel described "gentle floral notes with homemade bread, toasted almonds and vanilla on the nose — dark cherries, rye spices, sweet caramel on the palate — spiced apples baked in butter and lingering cloves on the finish." The winery's own notes: "Brown sugar, cinnamon, butterscotch, orange liqueur and lemon candies on the nose. Toasted marshmallow, crème brûlée, tobacco and nutty flavors on the palate. Long, warm and velvety finish with toasted oak and baking spices."

Origins & Craftsmanship

Old Louisville Whiskey Co. is built on a simple and entirely honest premise: source the finest aged Kentucky straight bourbon available, present it with a specific and immediately memorable identity, and let the liquid's quality make the case for the brand's existence. The Kentucky Series is the most direct expression of that philosophy — an 8-year Bardstown Bourbon Company sourced expression bottled at 100 proof with no apology for the sourcing, no invented heritage narrative, and no pretense about what it is: Kentucky straight bourbon from one of the best distilleries in Bardstown, aged eight and a half years and bottled at the proof that the production team identified as the optimal expression of the mash bill's character.

Bardstown Bourbon Company opened in 2016 in Bardstown, Kentucky — the Bourbon Capital of the World — and has established itself as one of the premier contract distillation and aging facilities in the American whiskey industry. Their production capabilities include the precise grain-to-glass control over mash bill specification, fermentation management, distillation cut points, and barrel entry proof that allows sourcing brands to specify the exact bourbon character they seek rather than accepting whatever aged inventory is commercially available. The Old Louisville Kentucky Series specification — 78% corn, 12% malted barley, 10% rye, level 3 char, 120-proof barrel entry — reflects deliberate production choices that distinguish this expression from standard Kentucky straight bourbon profiles:

The 12% malted barley is significantly higher than the typical 5–8% used in most Kentucky bourbons, contributing the enzymatic conversion efficiency that the grain requires alongside a distinctive nutty, slightly biscuity complexity in the finished spirit. The 10% rye provides structural spice backbone without the aggressive pepper character of high-rye formulations. The 78% corn provides the natural sweetness and the dessert-adjacent caramel and vanilla character that the profile's crème brûlée and toasted marshmallow tasting notes reflect. The level 3 char — a medium char level between the lighter level 2 and the deeply charred level 4 alligator char — activates the oak's caramel and vanilla compounds at a rate that produces richness and depth without the dominant wood character that heavier chars can introduce at 8.5 years of age. The 120-proof barrel entry — significantly below the 125-proof maximum — preserves more grain character in the new-make spirit and allows the barrel to work on a richer, more flavor-forward base over the full aging period.

Critics Reviews

No widely published numeric scores from Whisky Advocate, Wine Spectator, or Wine Advocate are available for the Old Louisville Kentucky Series 8 Year at this time.

The Bourbon Whiskey Library: "Excellent in approachability without sacrificing complexity — the 100 proof delivers both flavor and balance without harshness. A strong value for those who appreciate nuanced traditional bourbons with a dessert-like flair."

Bourbon Obsessed (John & Ed, two-reviewer panel): Nose: "Gentle floral notes intertwine with homemade bread, toasted almonds, just a hint of oak, and vanilla round it out. While a bit light, I find the nose very inviting." Palate: "Dark cherries, rye spices, sweet caramel, light toffee and simple syrup, with mild tannins a little later on." Finish: "Spiced apples baked in butter provide a great ending with a medium length finish. Lingering cloves and sweet simple syrup, followed by mild tannins and a touch of dried apricot. As the finish develops, it grows drier with an intensifying white pepper spice. Later still, mild smoky barrel char becomes more dominant."

Old Louisville Whiskey Co. official tasting notes: Nose: "Brown sugar, cinnamon, butterscotch, orange liqueur, and lemon candies. A vanilla cupcake and caramel." Palate: "Toasted marshmallow, crème brûlée, tobacco, and nutty flavors. Vanilla and oak dominating." Finish: "Long, warm, and velvety with toasted oak and baking spices. You are left with a lingering sweet note."

Unwind Bottle Shop: "Rich and inviting. Caramel and vanilla lead with a warm oak spice, a hint of dried fruit, and a classic Kentucky character from eight years of maturation."

Tasting Profile

Nose Warm amber in color — 8.5 years in level 3 charred oak producing a color of genuine richness and warmth. The nose opens with the dessert-adjacent quality that the high malted barley mash bill and the 120-proof barrel entry program consistently produce: brown sugar and butterscotch lead with a warm, slightly caramelized sweetness. Cinnamon and orange liqueur add warmth and a slightly exotic citrus spice. Lemon candies add a brighter citrus note. Vanilla cupcake and caramel follow with the confectionary richness that is the profile's most immediately distinctive quality — the "dessert-like flair" that the Bourbon Whiskey Library specifically identified as the expression's defining character. Gentle floral notes and homemade bread add a lighter, more delicate aromatic dimension alongside toasted almonds — the 12% malted barley's most direct contribution. Oak threads through with just a hint of presence rather than dominance at 8.5 years with level 3 char.

Palate Approachable, complex, and genuinely nuanced — the combination that the Bourbon Whiskey Library found most impressive at the 100-proof bottling. Toasted marshmallow and crème brûlée arrive with the warm, slightly caramelized sweetness that the official tasting notes identify as the palate's most defining quality. Dark cherries and sweet caramel follow in the wave of fruit and sweetness that the corn-dominant mash bill delivers at full maturity. Rye spices build through the mid-palate — not the aggressive pepper of high-rye formulations but the more measured, structural spice that 10% rye contributes alongside the corn's sweetness. Light toffee and simple syrup add secondary sweetness. Tobacco and nutty flavors from the oak and the malted barley add the savory adult dimension that prevents the dessert profile from becoming simply cloying. Mild tannins arrive at the mid-palate close with the oak's structural contribution. The overall mouthfeel is smooth and well-balanced — the 100 proof delivering genuine warmth and presence without harshness.

Finish Long, warm, and velvety — the official notes' most accurate single characterization. Spiced apples baked in butter from the Bourbon Obsessed panel's most evocative finish description. Lingering cloves and sweet simple syrup lead the early close. As the finish develops, it grows drier with intensifying white pepper spice — the rye's most persistent contribution arriving last. Mild smoky barrel char from the level 3 toasting adds a warm, slightly campfire quality at the very end. A lingering sweet note persists throughout. The finish is the most complex element of the tasting experience — cycling through sweet, spiced, dry, and smoky in sequence rather than simply fading.

Quick Overview

Serving & Occasion

Best enjoyed neat at room temperature or with a few drops of water — the crème brûlée and toasted marshmallow character are most fully expressed without ice dilution, and the Bourbon Whiskey Library's "dessert-like flair" characterization is most apparent neat. A few drops of water opens the dark cherry and rye spice character further. A single large ice cube works well for a slower, more relaxed pour where the caramel and nutty malted barley notes deepen as the temperature drops. Outstanding alongside dark chocolate, pecan desserts, smoked brisket, aged cheddar, and any preparation where the bourbon's dessert-adjacent profile finds food that complements rather than competes with its sweetness. The collectible letter bottle makes this an ideal gifting bourbon for any occasion — and the naturally conversation-generating series concept means the recipient will immediately want to know which letter they received.

Cocktail Suggestions

Kentucky Series Old Fashioned (the natural home) 2 oz Old Louisville Kentucky Series · 1 tsp Demerara syrup · 2 dashes Angostura bitters · expressed orange peel. Stirred over a large ice rock. The crème brûlée and caramel character aligns perfectly with the Old Fashioned format — Demerara echoes the brown sugar nose, orange peel amplifies the orange liqueur note, and bitters add the structural counterpoint that frames the dessert sweetness in classic bourbon character.

Kentucky Mule 2 oz Old Louisville Kentucky Series · ginger beer · squeeze of fresh lime. Built over ice in a copper mug. The sweet caramel and vanilla of the 100-proof mash bill play naturally against ginger's heat in a Mule of unusual warmth and richness. The winery's own recommended cocktail.