K. Luke 100 Proof Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review.

    K. Luke is one of those whiskey brands that I've been seeing more and more of lately, and for good reason. The brand has been expanding into more states and becoming easier to find both on shelves and online, while some of its more interesting barrel-strength and finished releases have started getting people’s attention. Their core lineup is particularly interesting because the company has been experimenting with some pretty unique finishes. I've had the opportunity to try several of them, including the Oloroso Sherry, Toasted, and Armagnac finishes, and they've generally been very impressive. The Oloroso Sherry has actually been my favorite of the bunch so far.

This particular bottle takes a different approach.

    The Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey is bottled at 100 proof and carries a minimum age of 7 years. Rather than being another barrel-strength or heavily finished release, this is meant to be a more approachable expression of what they are doing with their whiskey. The other interesting part is the blend itself. K. Luke sources bourbon from both Indiana and Kentucky and brings those barrels together as part of its blending process. There isn't an official mash bill disclosed for this release, so there's still quite a bit we don't know about exactly what's going into the blend.

    But knowing the quality I've found in some of the other K. Luke releases, this is a bottle that immediately caught my attention.

For the full video review visit the link here: https://youtu.be/AwkpVNNtn2k.

Age Statement: 7 years (A blend of 7-10 years).

ABV: 50%.

Mash bill: A blend of Kentucky & Indiana bourbon.

Area of Distillation: Kentucky & Indiana.

Appearance: Darker straw.


On the nose:

    The nose immediately delivers a lot of sweet, buttery corn along with barrel char, oak, vanilla, and caramel. There's also a nice brown sugar note that almost reminds me of brown sugar that's been torched into a brûléed crust. Maple sweetness begins to emerge as well, along with something reminiscent of a maple nut candy. Underneath all of that is a rich, buttery character that brings to mind homemade butter cookies.

There's also some orange peel and a noticeable amount of spice and herbal character. The combination of Indiana and Kentucky bourbon creates an interesting balance here. You get the sweeter grain and caramel characteristics alongside a bit more spice and herbal complexity. Most importantly, there isn't any noticeable alcohol harshness despite the 100-proof presentation.

Taste:

    The palate starts with beautiful sweet corn and barrel char. The oak becomes more prominent here, bringing in additional tannins and a richer wood character that makes the bourbon drink older than its stated minimum age.I n fact, this drinks closer to an 8- to 8½-year-old bourbon to my palate. There's also a subtle toasted-barrel character that brings out sweeter, almost marshmallow-like flavors. 

    Grilled corn, oak, vanilla, caramel, and richer wood sugars all work together nicely. The maple sweetness remains present, along with orange peel and a light peppery spice. There's almost an Old Fashioned-like quality to the combination. Think maple sweetness, orange peel, oak, and a little bit of spice all coming together in the glass. The bourbon has plenty of flavor without becoming overly aggressive, and the 100-proof presentation gives it enough weight to remain interesting without making it difficult to drink.

Finish:

    The finish is somewhat lighter than the palate, but it still has a respectable amount of staying power. There's a lingering pepperiness, sweeter brown sugar and maple notes, and enough oak to keep the bourbon hanging around. The 7-year age statement seems to be doing a lot of work here, giving the whiskey a nice backbone even after being proofed down. Rather than delivering a big, fiery Kentucky hug, the finish is warmer and sweeter, making it an easy bourbon to continue sipping.   

Final Thoughts: 

    K. Luke Whiskey Company Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey is a great example of why blending can be so effective. We don't know the exact mash bill or the specific breakdown of the Indiana and Kentucky barrels, but honestly, what's in the bottle speaks for itself. The bourbon has a great combination of sweet corn, caramel, vanilla, maple, oak, barrel char, and spice, all supported by a minimum 7 years of age. The 100-proof presentation is also a great choice. It gives the whiskey enough proof to maintain its body and flavor while making it approachable enough for a summer pour, a large ice cube, or even a cocktail.

    At around $50-$55, this is also a very compelling value for a 7-year bourbon with this much flavor. It's the kind of bottle you can keep on the shelf, enjoy regularly, and not feel like you need to save for a special occasion. For me, the flavor profile almost tastes like a maple Old Fashioned with an expressed orange peel already built into the bourbon. K. Luke has done some impressive things with its barrel-strength and finished releases, but this 100-proof expression makes a strong argument that they don't need to rely on high proof or elaborate finishes to make a good whiskey.

Rating: B+ (Great).

Cost: $54.99 for 750ml.

For the full video review visit the link here: https://youtu.be/AwkpVNNtn2k.

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