Kentucky Colonels Private Bourbon
Kentucky Colonels Toast
I give you a person dedicated to honor and authenticity while holding firm to the ideals of humility and service to others. They stand as a leader in their community and enjoy the convivial hospitality that is a Kentucky tradition. Gracious in spirit. Generous in action. Kind in all that they do. And proud of the traditions of Kentucky. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Kentucky Colonel.
How it started
The Kentucky Colonels Private Bourbon is an exclusive annual bourbon selected by Colonels for Colonels, bringing together Kentucky’s finest: Colonels and Bourbon. The tradition began in 2019 when the Honorable Order sought to unite Kentucky Colonels and Bourbon. The Honorable Order works with various distilleries where Colonels visit, taste, and select the private bourbon for the year.
2025: Rare Bourbon Auction, Pinhook, and Maker's Mark
The 2025 releases and opportunities for the Kentucky Colonels Private Bourbon Collection included an extraordinary auction of rare spirits and two unique barrel selections.
Rare Bourbon Auction: Thanks to the generous donation from General Wade Conner, Trinity Metals of Indianapolis, and Big Red Liquors, Colonels were invited to bid on rare and fine bourbon. This featured two highly sought-after bourbons. W.L. Weller Millennium is a rare, limited-edition bourbon bottled at 99 proof, featuring a smooth, wheat-forward mash bill with rich caramel, toasted oak, dark chocolate, and subtle dried fruit notes. Double Eagle Very Rare Bourbon is an ultra-premium, 20-year-old bourbon bottled at 101 proof, delivering rich caramel, dark chocolate, toasted oak, and vanilla notes with an exceptionally smooth, lingering finish.
Pinhook: The Colonels group visited Castle & Key, a recently reopened historic distillery that is the home of Pinhook. Led by Sommelier Sean Josephs, the group toured the restored grounds and original Old Taylor Distillery, including the Romanesque Spring House and the turret of the castle for the tasting. They selected a 10-year single barrel. It is pleasantly complex with notes of caramel, butterscotch, toffee, and baking spices. It is smooth and approachable, with nutty sweetness, honey, and oak. It has a long finish with notes of cherries, oak, and fresh-baked bread. Proof 117.2.
Maker’s Mark: This remarkable bourbon was donated to the Honorable Order by Trinity Metals and General Wade Conner in honor of Mission Lexington, a Good Works Program grantee. Crafted by adding special wood staves to the barrel during a nine-week finishing process, the bourbon has hints of cinnamon, delicate fruit, and lightly toasted sugar. The hanging tendrils of rich, full-bodied Bourbon finishes with toasted chocolate cherry in front with a lingering smoothness, and has a proof of 110.7.
2019: Maker's Mark
To kick off the private collection in 2019, the Honorable Order started with long-time former trustee, General Bill Samuels Jr., Chairman Emeritus for Maker’s Mark. General Bill Samuels Jr. welcomed a group of Colonels and Trustees on a truly unique tour of Star Hill Farm, where he shared stories of the brand’s origins, family history, and his personal relationships with bourbon icons. Following the tour, the group began their private tasting in the historic Limestone Cellar, learning about the importance of American White Oak staves on the bourbon’s flavor profile. The resulting Maker’s Mark Private Select was agreed upon for a flavor profile featuring notes of crème brûlée, toffee, and orchard fruits on the nose, followed by tastes of butterscotch, walnut, and fudge. The bourbon has a creamy texture with a long, roasty finish, and a proof of 109.3.
2020: Woodford Reserve
Due to the resounding success of the inaugural year, the Honorable Order planned to invite Colonels to the beautiful Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles. However, these plans were dramatically interrupted by the start of a world pandemic, COVID-19. Luckily, a small group of local Colonels were part of the last tour and tasting held at the distillery for many months. The few who attended found it impossible to choose a single profile , which led to the creation of two distinct, barrel-strength bourbons.
Honorable Order: This profile is described as being like a warm Kentucky hug, a lovely mix of dark fruits, dates, raisins, mint, and black and white pepper. It finishes with maple syrup, butter, sassafras, and soft baking spices. Proof of 90.4.
Kentucky Colonels: The perfect Kentucky Apple Pie! It’s blended notes of green apples, pecans, hazelnut, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Ripened cherries, almonds, and black licorice linger on the palate with a long finish. Proof of 90.4.
2021: Four Roses
In 2021, a group of special Colonels visited Four Roses, one of the foundation bourbons of Kentucky, located near Bardstown. They were escorted to their private tasting building, nestled among dozens of “Roses” rick houses. After engaging with the brand’s history, the group got down to sampling each of the ten barrels personally selected for the Colonels Collection barrel —a significant undertaking since Four Roses only distills ten unique bourbon recipes. After tasting flavor profiles ranging from bubblegum to butter, toffee, caramel, and cake bread, the group finally whittled the ten barrels down to one. The very special final selection was a smooth, vanilla, clean on the pallet 10-year, 5-month-old bourbon for the Colonels to enjoy.
2022: Hotel Tango and Elijah Craig
The 2022 selections were unique, featuring two separate partnerships with Hotel Tango Distillery focused on Kentucky disaster relief, alongside a special selection from Heaven Hill’s Elijah Craig. Colonel Wade Conner and his team at Trinity Metals were instrumental in selecting the Hotel Tango Bourbon to raise funds to rebuild western and eastern Kentucky.
Hotel Tango (Western Kentucky Tornado Relief): Following the EF-4 tornado that struck western Kentucky on December 10, 2021, the largest natural disaster in the state’s history, Colonel Wade Conner and Trinity Metals partnered with Veteran-owned Hotel Tango Distillery to help raise relief funds. Three barrels were selected:
Barrel #29 (Proof 118.7) with big flavors of cereal grains up front and sweet corn notes on the finish. Overall, very oaky.
Barrel #67 (Proof 118.5) with flavors of almond, cherry, and vanilla predominating in the taste and aroma.
Barrel #72 (Proof 118.8) with sweet honey flavors on the front end, floral notes throughout, and a caramel finish.
Hotel Tango (Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief): After extensive flooding that was called “historically unheard of” hit eastern Kentucky in late July, Colonel Wade Conner and Trinity Metals once again partnered with Hotel Tango Distillery to help raise funds. Barrel #245 was a wheated Bourbon offering plentiful notes of citrus and honey and was considered “outstanding” by the Colonels who made the selection. Its proof was 130.6.
- Elijah Craig: Colonels also selected a premium, award-winning Elijah Craig barrel, produced by Heaven Hill Distilleries. Colonels selected a bourbon with a tantalizing aroma with hints of banana, vanilla, and caramel transcends to richly textured and complex flavors of caramel nuts, and sweet corn. Everything you would expect from a bourbon aged 10 years in a char level 3 barrel on the 3rd floor of the unique seven-store T.W. Samuels rickhouse.
2023: Maker's Mark (5th Anniversary)
For the 5th anniversary of the Kentucky Colonels Private Bourbon, the Honorable Order returned to Maker’s Mark and recreated the first bourbon profile from 2019 due to positive reviews. Two bourbons were selected for 2023:
Best Served with Colonels: Sponsored by Trinity Metals of Indianapolis, this bourbon has notes of crème brûlée, toffee, and orchard fruits on the nose, and features tastes of butterscotch, walnut, and fudge. The bourbon is creamy in texture with a long, roasty finish, and has a proof of 109.3.
Cheers Colonel!: This second bourbon was hand-picked by Colonels and features characteristics of brown sugar, vanilla bean and raisins on the nose, with tastes of milk chocolate, almonds, and sweet baking spice. This bottle finishes with a toasty sweetness, and has a proof of 108.1.
2024: Buffalo Trace and Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co.
The 2024 selections featured two different distillery experiences. The Honorable Order hosted the Kentucky Colonels Buffalo Trace Bourbon Experience Raffle. The winner and seven friends visited Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, where they toured the facility, learned about the bourbon science and history, enjoyed lunch, and had a private tasting to pick the flavor for their own bourbon. It was described as having an indulgent vanilla caramel aroma that invites the senses to explore hints of sweet dried stone fruit, floral honey, and dark-fired tobacco. Imbibing brings forth warm memories of perfectly spiced homemade cobbler and the ripest cherries, with charred oak and a gentle smoky flavor wrapped in a buttery smoothness. It finishes delicately with Mom’s banana pudding, slightly spicy oak, and a hint of Grandpa’s pipe tobacco.
The Kentucky Colonels also visited Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co., which flourishes in an urban, reclaimed 115-year-old building in the heart of Louisville. After being warmly greeted by the resident feline, the group experienced six distinct samples of their award-winning product. They were joined by 4th generation owner, Mr. Corky Taylor, for over an hour of stories. The group had so much trouble deciding on just one selection that they chose two, which became the official Kentucky Colonel Bourbon Collection for 2024:
Toasted Oak: Smells of toasted oak, vanilla, and cinnamon with tastes of oak, banana, chocolate, and vanilla that finished with oak, vanilla, and caramel flavors. Proof 114.7.
Spice Rack: This selection has notes of cherries, almonds, caramel, and baking spices featuring wonderful tastes of charred oak, butterscotch, banana, chocolate, and hints of vanilla finishing with butterscotch and baking spices. Proof 110.4.
Official Kentucky Colonels Cocktail and Mocktail
Cocktail:
Mint Leaves
½ oz. Simple Syrup
1½ oz. Kentucky Bourbon
½ oz. Tuaca
Ginger Ale
Mocktail:
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
4 oz. Ginger Beer
1/4 oz. Lime Juice
Splash of Cranberry Juice
Top with Ice.