Castle & Key 6-Year Small Batch Bourbon

Earlier this year, I was at an equestrian competition – along with 80,000 of my closest horse-crazy fans where Castle & Key was also a sponsor with their mobile bourbon bars interspersed around the course. I’ve toured and tasted Castle & Key bourbon in the past, but some of their younger bourbons left me wanting more. This day, though, I had the opportunity to try Castle & Key 6-Year Small Batch before I bought a bottle. Let’s just say, there wasn’t a big delay.

From Ruins to Revival

There are bourbon distilleries, and then there are bourbon destinations. Castle & Key firmly belongs in the second category.

Standing on the grounds of the historic Old Taylor Distillery near Frankfort, Kentucky, Castle & Key represents one of the most remarkable restoration stories in the bourbon industry. The property began life in the late 1880s when Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. envisioned something revolutionary: a distillery that wasn't just a place to make whiskey, but a place people would want to visit. Long before "bourbon tourism" was a phrase anyone used, Taylor built a showpiece complete with castle-like architecture, formal gardens, and a stunning springhouse.

Like many bourbon stories, however, the decades that followed were not always kind. Ownership changed hands, Prohibition interrupted operations, and eventually the once-grand distillery fell silent. For years, nature slowly reclaimed the property as buildings deteriorated and the grounds became overgrown.

That might have been the end of the story. Instead, in 2014, Will Arvin and Wesley Murry purchased the abandoned site and embarked on an ambitious restoration project. What emerged from that effort is one of the most beautiful destinations on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail: a place where history and modern bourbon-making coexist in a way that feels authentic rather than manufactured. Walking the grounds today, it's easy to imagine what visitors experienced more than a century ago.

Of course, beautiful grounds only get a distillery so far. Eventually, the bourbon has to justify the hype. For a number of years, Castle & Key's bourbons showed promise but often felt like they were still finding their footing. That's understandable. Age can't be rushed, and developing a mature house profile takes time. Which brings us to today's pour.

The Tasting

When reviewing a Castle & Key spirit, you cannot deny the packaging: a heavy rounded glass decanter, with a stopper that pays tribute to the chandelier in the distillery’s springhouse along Glenns Creek, and an etched label displaying the distillery door. The distinctive bottle looks as impressive on a shelf as many bourbons costing considerably more

Castle & Key 6-Year Small Batch Bourbon is bottled at 101 proof and features a mash bill of

73% white corn sourced from Walnut Grove Farm in Adairville, Kentucky, 10% rye from Germany, and 17% malted barley from Malteurop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin..

Eye: Amber in color with medium legs spaced evenly around my Glencairn glass.

Nose: Vanilla and oak arrive first, followed by leaf tobacco and a pleasant strudel-like character. Baking spices mingle with marzipan, baked apples, and raisins, creating an inviting nose that keeps revealing more time in the glass.

Palate: Vanilla, oak, and spice form the backbone of the experience, balanced nicely by layers of caramel and toffee. The non-chill filtration contributes a rich mouthfeel that gives the bourbon additional weight and texture without becoming heavy.

Finish: Drying and satisfying, with charred oak, vanilla, and baking spice lingering long after the sip is gone.

Overall: This is the Castle & Key bourbon I've been waiting for.

Much like the Castle & Key 7-Year Cask Strength Wheated Bourbon I reviewed, this release demonstrates what additional maturity can do for the distillery's whiskey. Some of the earlier releases showed flashes of potential but occasionally felt youthful and a bit unfinished. Here, everything feels more integrated and complete.

The flavors are balanced. The oak is present without dominating. The proof provides enough structure to carry the flavors while remaining approachable. Most importantly, it drinks like a bourbon that knows exactly what it wants to be.

At around $40, it's also one of the better values currently coming out of Kentucky. The bottle is striking enough to earn a prominent place on your shelf, but unlike some attractive bottles, what's inside is equally impressive.

Castle & Key appears to be entering a new chapter where the whiskey is finally catching up to the beauty of the distillery. If this release is any indication of what's ahead, bourbon fans have reason to be excited.