Unseal Day 8 🎁 K. Luke Batch 14 Bourbon & Sauternes Rye

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 our first double release, both with pretty limited quantities,  K. Luke's Batch 14 Bourbon & Sauternes Finished Rye. 

Batch 14 Bourbon, like batches before it, is created by sourcing from several different distilleries in Kentucky and Indiana with different mash bills up to 36% rye and a variety of ages. This allows the focus to be on building multilayered and exciting blends instead of the individual components used to create each blend. This batch, however, is the first we are told an age range on: blended from bourbons 8-12 years old. This is the most layered Bourbon Batch to date, and dare I say the most "LE-killing" release they've done.

The nose is plump and evocative, drifting between rich caramel and butter pecan before easing into Dutch apple pie and silky vanilla. Antique oak rises beneath it all, brushed with soft, perfumed spice that feels like a familiar memory made more refined.
 
The palate arrives in full velvet, voluptuous and chewy as tart cherry and spiced melon bloom across the tongue. A buttery torched orange peel glides in, coating every corner before deep chocolate cake and plush cream cheese frosting unfurl in slow, satisfying waves.
 
The finish is where the spirit truly lingers, as that vibrant orange peel circles back through rich tiramisu and seasoned oak, settling into a long and tapering warmth lined with worn leather and quiet decadence.

Next, we are excited to debut our very first cask finished release from K. Luke, a limited half barrel of Sauternes finished rye. The base of this single barrel began as a small batch blend sourced from a mix of well aged rye barrels out of Kentucky and Indiana, then rested for just under three months in a freshly emptied Sauternes cask from France. If you trusted us when we said our Nashville Barrel Co "Thirst Quencher" rye tasted like lemon lime Gatorade, consider this its delicious sequel, leaning more toward grape Gatorade in all the best ways. Vibrant, candy like, and bursting with unique fruit character, this is easily one of the most distinctive and enjoyable finished whiskeys we have offered all year.

The nose is instantly candy-like and unmistakably unique, concentrated with sugared grapes and brown sugar. Softly toasted rye spice offers just enough structure while deeper inhales reveal fruit leather, maple syrup, and gentle layers of sweet oak.
 
The palate is deeply jammy, as if grape Kool-Aid met Welch’s grape juice and was lifted with honey and a touch of maple finished rye. There is a great moment mid-palate where the bold fruit settles and the rye takes the lead with candied spice and buttery brown sugar.
 
The finish is long and steadily trailing, carrying forward all of those familiar flavors. Continued sips add candied citrus, light herbal tones, and the kind of sweet oak we love to find in standout rye.