Brown-Forman is returning to its past and releasing a new bourbon brand based on an old name, King of Kentucky. Hitting shelves June 29, the first release of King of Kentucky will be a limited, 14-year old Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Available only in Kentucky, the first release will produce approximately 1000 bottles with a suggested retail price of $199.
King of Kentucky was established in 1881 as a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Brown-Forman acquired the brand in 1936 from Selected Kentucky Distillers and, by 1940, converted it to a blended whiskey until it was discontinued in 1968.
“Given Brown-Forman’s 148 year history of crafting great Kentucky Bourbon, it is a memorable event to bring back to life a long retired brand and to introduce it to a new generation of aficionados,” said Master Distiller Chris Morris. “King of Kentucky will provide Whiskey connoisseurs with a rare look into Brown-Forman’s rich barrel archives.”
King of Kentucky will be an annual/on-going periodic release of a single barrel inventory and feature a barrel-strength, minimally-filtered proof presentation.