Distillery: Castle & Key
Proof: 98
Age: 4 years
Mashbill: 73% white corn, 10% rye, 17% malted barley
Price: $50
Company
Castle & Key purchased the Old Taylor Distillery in 2014 and began restoring the famous distillery that went out of commission in 1972. Along with their small batch bourbon, they have an array of products like gin and Restoration Rye.
Production
Castle & Key released the first batch of their small batch Kentucky straight bourbon in 2023 after a long, widely anticipated wait. On release day, hundreds of people lined up to get a bottle and they sold out within minutes.
Nose – 90/100
Light with floral and caramel notes. It gives off the vibe of a younger spirit.
Palate – 93/100
The palate is also light with notes of caramel, honey, bread, and some floral impressions. It’s an interesting mix, but it pulls it off well and is generally well-balanced in my opinion.
Finish – 89/100
A short finish with notes of raisin and baking spices. Not the best, but definitely not the worst.
Value – 88/100
I think this is just a fine value for $50. The bottle looks great and it’s definitely a unique pour, but I can’t say I’d line up to buy it again. It tastes a little too young for its price range in my opinion.
Verdict – 90/100
We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.
Scoring System:
- Platinum – 95+
- Gold – 90 – 94
- Silver – 80 – 89
- Bronze – <80
Hunter Branch is the Founder and Director of Editorial for Bourbon Inspector. He has been writing about and professionally reviewing bourbon since 2020 (and has been drinking it for much longer). He’s been able to interview big names in the bourbon industry like Trey Zoeller from Jefferson’s Bourbon and his work has been featured in publications like TastingTable, Mashed, and more.