Rathskeller Revival "Consolidated Kingdom" Batch is Here!

A blend of Double Oaked 16, 13, 11, and almost 9-year bourbon from four Kentucky Heritage Distillers? This is the most ambitious blend we’ve ever attempted at Seelbach’s. It pushed us into new territory - longer finishing times, deeper experimentation, and more patience than any release we’ve put out. This blend began almost 3 years ago. We double-oaked some of our original Seelbach's 10-year. With only one barrel, I pulled samples and tested it with bourbon we sourced for our 15-year release. The combination was incredible! But it still had a few missing components. Back to the drawing board! I noticed the 72-month air-dried stave Zak Cooperage barrels we used for double oak. They added amazing nuance and layered flavor. We tested at least a dozen blends. The blend needed spice and a bit of a punch. A high proof, double-oaked, 11-year bourbon from Bardstown, KY amplified the blend. 

I was a little unsure of the last component. Would a nearly 9-year bourbon take away from the double-digit blend we were building? Flavor always wins out at Seelbach's! The bourbon added so much fruit, caramel, and life to the blend. It brought a touch of needed sweetness to the well-aged blend. That was the turning point. The blend snapped into focus. Fruit, caramel, structure, and depth all finally falling into place. It was the first moment we realized this wasn’t just working… it was becoming something special!
 
While I wish we could name every distillery in this blend, we're bound by certain NDAs. But, for the most part, the mash bills should give away the source. The final step was to allow all four barrels to blend together in the tote for almost two months. This is a step I learned from Ed Bley while chatting about the Old Stubborn release. The transformation is spectacular. As flavors meld and oxidize, the blend becomes more cohesive. After nearly three years of work, only four barrels make up this final blend. Once these bottles are gone, this exact profile will never exist again. This was by far the most complex release we've created at Seelbach's. But, in the end, the results were well worth it! I hope you enjoy our latest release from the Rathskeller lineup.
 
Rathskeller Revival "Consolidated Kingdom" batch is about amplifying a bottle through blending. Independent bottling aims to show what could happen if industry walls fell. Distillery A doesn’t call Distillery B for a handshake blend. They’re competitors, rivals, sometimes even enemies... but what happens when someone erases those invisible lines? When flavors from across Kentucky’s heritage distillers work together. Not as competitors, but as collaborators? Rathskeller Revival has always been about honoring history while pushing it forward. With Batch 002, we’re bringing back teamwork. When kingdoms come together, whiskey wins.

Rathskeller Revival "Consolidated Kingdom" 

Bottle, Neat Taster, 50 ml sample & Box

Proof: 117.5 proof

Source: Kentucky

Blend of Mash Bills: 75/13/12; 75/15/10; 78/13/9 & 74/21/5 Corn/Rye/Malted Barley

Tasting Notes: Candied oranges, tobacco, dehydrated strawberries, and sassafras. Rich, deep, and complex, the nose continues to build as it sits. Touches of sweet oak and baking spice begin to open up. 

The palate is buttery and sweet upfront. There's toffee, dried cocoa powder, and vanilla custard. It's decadent and has a creamy mouthfeel. It coats the palate with notes of sweetness and spice, reminiscent of a sweet potato pie. The layered flavor builds into a nice peppery spike towards the back of the palate.
 
The finish is long, with notes of peach tea and oak. Notes of toasted almonds and pear linger long after the last sip.