Day 9 Surprise 🎁 Kentucky Nectar Single Barrel

12 Days of Whiskey is our favorite stretch of the year at Seelbach’s. Every drop is intentional: from unique finds, special releases, and the return of some fan-favorite bottles. For 2025 we think we’ve outdone ourselves. Whether you’re buying for yourself or checking someone off your list, this lineup has something for everyone.
 
This next drop is a first here at Seelbach's - and a one of one at that - with our first Old Commonwealth Kentucky Nectar single barrel. 

Few brands are making bigger splashes in whiskey circles right now than Old Commonwealth. From their 10-year Old Commonwealth and 15-year D.H. Cromwell to the 16-year Colonel Randolph and the widely popular Kentucky Nectar Bourbon. I recently ran a poll about honey finished bourbons, and Kentucky Nectar was one of the names that came up again and again.
 
Originally built in 1889 in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, the Old Commonwealth Distillery has been home to Hoffman Distillery, Ezra Brooks, and Commonwealth Distilling over the past 135 years. In 2019, it was purchased by Zachary Joseph and Andrew English, a nephew and uncle who bonded over the distillery’s history and its venerable products. Along with family friend and partner Troy LeBlanc, the trio are reviving iconic labels once produced there and preserving the facility’s heritage through immersive tour experiences.
 
Originally released in 1967, Old Commonwealth Distillery has revived the Kentucky Nectar brand as a double barreled wheated Kentucky straight bourbon finished in honey casks, and until this point, always offered at cask strength.
 
When I went in to select this barrel, there was one sample that clearly stood out from the beginning, not only for its darker color but also for its intensity and uniqueness of flavor. Being ten proof points higher than the rest, it had a bit of harshness that ultimately made me choose another barrel over it. It wasn’t until we were sitting around afterward that I added a few drops of water and said... this is a completely different whiskey. I also noticed that, while all previous iterations of Kentucky Nectar have been cask strength, there was nothing on the bottle that required it to be. So I asked the question... could we?
 
It was met with a yes and we began proofing. We ultimately landed on 106 proof for this whiskey, a place where it maintained its rich character but created a better overall drinking experience, and one of the more unique releases of Kentucky Nectar. I believe this when I say: you’ve never had a honey finished bourbon like this.
 
The nose is plump with vanilla frosting, smoked butterscotch, softer candied fruits, and a lovely kiss of sweet honey-dipped oak. Gentle nips of candied orange and sugared blueberries appear as it moves toward a softly smoked oak.
 
The palate drinks so much richer than its 106 proof, still carrying plenty of viscosity. Well-seasoned oak continues to expand in the glass while dense smoked vanilla cream and candied fruit flavors emerge, including the orange and sugared blueberries from the nose.
 
The finish is long and saturating, turning those sweet fruits into more intense baked pie-like notes. The spice leans a bit reminiscent of a double oaked rye, while wine-like tannins enter the mix along with a touch of bleu cheese-like tanginess. Never too much, always just right.
 
If there was ever a time to try Kentucky Nectar, it would be now.