Castle & Key Small Batch 2023 (Batch 3)

Decent flavor, not a ton of character to it, but overall not too bad

There really is no quality checking of these custom entries, but oh well. Bottle number: 14627 Castle & Key is one of those distilleries that went from having no products on the market to exploding and usually being the house offering for most bars in the Kentucky area, similar to how New Riff took over most bars and restaurants in the southern Ohio region. Having enjoyed their rye whiskey enough times, and being in the area on a particular weekend, I decided to stop by and see what else I could learn and experience at the distillery, sans tour. Two things were obvious and overwhelming within the first few minutes outside my car: the grounds are absolutely gorgeous, and this was THE unabashed hangout spot for rich white dudes in shorts, polos, and sandals (also backwards hats and sunglasses anywhere but on the eyes). Still, I have never been to a distillery that had enough gin variants to offer a gin flight, and once I was done with that, I moved to the whiskey flight, and chose this bottle from those results. It was a lovely spot, but with almost no seating indoors, the heat drove us away fairly quickly after the tasting was done, although both this and the gin I picked up were both quite affordable for what was offered. Nothing too crazy or impressive for the color; a golden brown shows just a touch more color than expected for 4 years. The legs are fairly mid-runny and exactly on par for the proof. The nose is full of rich milk chocolate (perhaps even caramel filled), toasted oak, and some citrus oil, as well as blended, basic vegetal and herbacous notes. The proof has just enough kick through the nostrils that tells you it's there and has some body, but won't turn you off if you're looking for something more on the milder side. The initial flavor is explosive with fruity notes, including a mix of red berries and citrus, but becomes balanced by an almost equally powerful milk chocolate note. Repeat sips bring forward an herbaceous, cracked, malted rye that's forward alongside the fruitiness, as well as some young corn that's aged just enough to take the raw edge off. The finish builds and stacks as it becomes hotter and hotter, before slightly backing off to a very slight, bitter, almost charcoal-based tinge. This is really quite impressive for being a fairly young, low volume craft bourbon. With the rye and gin being equally impressive, it pushes my mind more and more into thinking about New Riff again, as it's almost a mirror image of success and even products released, just about 100 miles apart. A bourbon like this can be used in every way imaginable with ease, from enjoying neat to putting it into cocktails, whether simple or complex. It's no surprise that this made it's way into local bars and restaurants, alongside the rye and gin, and I hope to see more of it. The price point is pretty good as well, although not if comparing to New Riff. I didn't see any single barrel options on sale at the distillery, which is always a red flag, but it makes me wonder what the price for a bottle of that would be, and if it would be worth it in the end.