> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.bourbonbanter.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # King of Ky. Single Barrel 2026: Does it Reign Supreme Over All Bourbons? - URL: https://www.bourbonbanter.com/king-of-ky-single-barrel-2026-does-it-reign-supreme-over-all-bourbons/ - Published: 2026-10-05T09:00:21.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-05T09:00:20.000Z - Description: It appears that $399 is what you have to pay to get top-tier bourbon such as this, and I'm confident that fans will pay well over that. It's outside of my budget, but don't let it stop you if you see it and feel spendy. - Author: Steve Coomes - Tags: Bourbon Whiskey Reviews, Bottle, Brown-Forman Distillery Bottle Details - **DISTILLER:** [Brown-Forman Distillery](https://www.kingofkentucky.com/products/single-barrel-2026/?ref=bourbonbanter.com) - **TYPE:** Straight Bourbon - **MASH BILL:** 79% Corn | 11% Rye |10% Malted Barley - **AGE:** 14 years - **YEAR:** 2026 - **PROOF:** 133.2 (66.6% ABV) - **AVAILABILITY:** - **MSRP:** $399.99 - **BUY ONLINE:** Brown-Forman does not sell King of Kentucky online TASTING NOTES **NOSE:** King of Kentucky's nose is unmistakable: old, deep, dark and with a whiff of varnish and banana candy before leading to cooked stone fruits, well-browned pie crust, charred oak, bitter chocolate, fire-cured tobacco (nose at the bottom of the glass) and flamed orange peel (nose at the top of the glass). When you sniff the glass at the end, it poses as a full-blown rye. **PALATE:** Pastry and dark chocolate (think chocolate croissant) lead off before pivoting into a boozy fruit cobbler of cooked dark cherries, peaches and blackberries. A few drops of water invigorates the proof and spice considerably while boosting viscosity and richness. It's not difficult to sip it at 133 proof, but adding a little water is highly recommended for enlivening notes of cinnamon, clove and candied characteristics (think cotton candy or marshmallow). **FINISH:** Loooong, warm, big, spicy fruity and laced with dark caramel. In fact, I wish I'd had some caramel handy to enhance the experience. Though I'm not a smoker, I'd bet cigar fans would dig this coda. Reviewer's Verdict **RATING:** Bottle. You'll want all of it. A pour at the bar is a nice experience, but I bet this bottle will become otherworldly over time, especially with a little oxygen mixing in. **WORTH THE PRICE:** It appears that $399 is what you have to pay to get top-tier bourbon such as this, and I'm confident that fans of this will be required to pay well over that. It's outside of my budget, but don't let it stop you if you see it and are feeling spendy. **WHO IT'S FOR:** Anyone who loves great bourbon, of course, but it's not for those uncomfortable with high proofs. Drinking this neat (albeit with a few droplets of water) is the way to go; to add ice is to punish this great spirit for its powerful virtues. If you want some chill to tame the sting, refrigerate the whole bottle instead. A cocktail made with this? I bet it would be superb, but that doesn't let this whiskey be its best. **REVIEWER'S VERDICT:** I'm a shameless King of Kentucky fan, and this year's release will do nothing to dampen that enthusiasm. Yes, I liked the 2025 and 2024 releases better: their greater fruit character and boundless complexity made them two of the best bourbons I've ever tasted. This isn't them, but this is still tremendous. This mash bill (the former Early Times mash bill that, after that brand's sale to Sazerac, master distiller emeritus Chris Morris refers to as "the King of Kentucky mash bill") just hits for me. It was great in bottled-in-bond form when Brown-Forman made it (I haven't had Sazerac's version yet), but aged to KoK level ... it's spectacular. Is it in the whiskey of the year category for me? It's about that time to revisit those in contention, so right now, I don't know. But it's definitely a standout bourbon, and the King may reign when I revisit and re-evaluate favorites at the end of the year. Disclaimer --- This bottle found its way to us compliments of the brand. What ends up on the page is ours alone — and they knew that going in. Around here, honesty isn't a policy. It's the whole damn point. About Our Rating System --- Bourbon & Banter uses a three-tier rating system created over a decade ago: **Bottle**, **Bar**, or **Bust**. - 🍾 **Bottle** — Buy it. This one deserves a place in your cabinet. *(Approximate equivalent: 85 and above on a 100-point scale)* - 🥃 **Bar** — Worth trying, but not necessarily worth owning. Find it at a bar before committing to a bottle. *(Approximate equivalent: 70–84)* - 💀 **Bust** — Skip it. Life is too short and your shelf space too valuable. *(Approximate equivalent: below 70)* Numeric scores imply a precision that doesn't exist — and most publications never score below 80, making half the scale meaningless. We'd rather answer the question that actually matters: buy it, try it at a bar before you buy, or skip it. The approximate equivalents above are for reference only.