Kentucky Owl Bourbon Batch 13

Kentucky Owl Bourbon Batch 13 is a 113.6-proof Kentucky straight bourbon — a small-batch blend of five bourbons aged 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 years, and the final blend created by Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame Master Blender John Rhea before his retirement.

The Kentucky Owl brand traces back to C.M. Dedman, who founded it in Bardstown, Kentucky in 1879 before Prohibition silenced the label for nearly a century. Revived in 2014 and now part of the Stoli Group portfolio, Kentucky Owl has built its reputation on meticulously blended, high-proof bourbon. Batch 13, released in June 2025, continues that approach: an undisclosed blend of sourced Kentucky straight bourbons married together for balance and drinkability rather than oak-driven intensity. It is the brand's first release following its 2024 restructuring and the last blend assembled by John Rhea, who spent nearly five decades in the bourbon industry.

Tasting Notes

• Nose: Vanilla and bright citrus lead, layered with caramel, brown sugar, and a hint of chocolate
• Palate: Delicate entry into brown sugar and vanilla custard, with orange, deepening caramel, and a build of cinnamon and allspice baking spice
• Finish: Spice-forward and softer than the proof suggests — caramel, vanilla, tobacco, orange peel, and graham cracker, with lingering cinnamon

Specs

• Producer: Kentucky Owl / Stoli Group
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Small Batch
• Age: No Age Statement (blend of bourbons aged 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 years)
• Mash Bill: Undisclosed — corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley
• Proof: 113.6 (56.8% ABV)
• Release: Batch 13, June 2025
• Size: 750ml

Browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the proof of Kentucky Owl Batch 13? 113.6 proof (56.8% ABV) — a high-proof small-batch blend that still drinks softer than its strength suggests.
• How old is the bourbon in Batch 13? It carries no age statement but is a blend of five bourbons aged 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 years — the first Kentucky Owl batch composed entirely of single-digit-aged whiskey.
• What makes Batch 13 significant? It is the final blend created by Master Blender and Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame inductee John Rhea before his retirement, and the brand's first release following its 2024 restructuring.