K.LUKE Whiskey Company's Batch 5 Bourbon Review & Tasting Notes

 

It seems like new whiskey brands are announced monthly, which is mind-blowing. According to the American Distilling Institute, by mid-2022, there were 2230 active American distilleries!

 

K.LUKE Whiskey Company was established in 2021 by Jonathan Maisano. He owned Masiano’s Fine Wine & Spirits of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, for 18 years and picked over 400 private barrels for his store.

 

“K.LUKE is blended from combinations of Kentucky and Indiana mash bills to create perfectly balanced straight Bourbon whiskies. We create blends from different mashes, ages, and barrel entry proofs from several different distilleries, so everything we do is based on each blend’s overall complexity of layers and flavors. Once we [have] a set of created blends, we then run our favorites through a series of blind tastings before the final blend is sent over to Bardstown Bourbon Company for bottling. We decided not to disclose the age or exact percentage of mash bills in each blend so customers could instead focus on the layers offered in each whiskey and the attention we put into each blend. K.LUKE is a tribute to both of our children, Kaitlyn and Lucas.” – Jonathan and Jennifer Maisano, K.LUKE’s owners

 

Batch 5 was released on May 31, 2023, with a mashbill of high and low rye Bourbons. It carries no age statement, meaning the blend's youngest part is at least four years old. This Bourbon is bottled at its cask strength of 59.7% ABV (119.4°), and a 750ml bottle can be procured in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee or online via Seelbachs.com for $115.00.

 

Who are the distillers? When you say “Indiana,” that usually means Ross & Squibb (MGP), and considering that Bardstown Bourbon Company is doing the bottling, it is a safe assumption it is involved as well. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter, and what the Maisanos suggest is correct – we should concentrate on what the whiskey smells and tastes like.

 

In full disclosure, K.LUKE provided me with a sample of Batch 5 in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review, and I thank them for doing so. Now, let’s #DrinkCurious and see how they did.

 

Appearance: I sipped this neat from my Glencairn glass. The liquid inside was dark chestnut, forming a microthin rim along the wall. A wavy curtain of tears fell back into the pool.

 

Nose: The aroma consisted of corn, cherry, orange peel, caramel, and oak. Barrel char and caramel rolled across my tongue as I inhaled through my mouth.

 

Palate: The mouthfeel was almost silky. Flavors of dark chocolate, roasted coffee, and figs hit the front of my palate. Vanilla cream, orange zest, and tobacco leaf were at the midpoint, while the back tasted of bold black pepper, charred oak, and cinnamon Red Hots.

 

Finish: The big, long, lingering finish featured roasted coffee, charred oak, candied orange slices, cocoa, cinnamon spice, and black pepper.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: K.LUKE drank way below its stated proof. I love when that happens because I can really concentrate on flavors. Yet, when it is so easy to sip, you want to ensure you’re not going anywhere for a while.

 

The Maisanos did a stellar job blending, and you can smell and taste the love they invested. My only concern is with the price. Other talented blenders offer fantastic cask-strength whiskeys for less (and conversely, a few are asking astronomical prices). K.LUKE is delicious; it does deserve my Bottle rating. If this was priced at about $20.00 or less, I'd be happier, but I also won't demote the rating for that. Cheers!

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you do so responsibly.