A 9-year, high-rye Kentucky bourbon finished in Oloroso sherry casks, balancing dark fruit, smoke and serious spice.
Stats
- Type: Finished Bourbon
- Age: 9 Year
- Proof: 118.4 (59.2% ABV)
- Mashbill: 51% Corn │ 36% Rye │ 10% Malted Barley
- Origin: Undisclosed distillery — Kentucky
- Additional Aging: Dark Arts Whiskey House — Lexington, Kentucky
- Finish: Oloroso Sherry
- Finishing Time: Undisclosed
- Release: Limited release, KBF Exclusive (Sept 10-13)
- MSRP: $99.99 / 750 mL (only available at Kentucky Bourbon Festival)
Tasting Notes
- Nose: The nose is comparatively restrained, with ripe red apple, cherry and honey joined by pepper, smoke and nuttiness. The sherry influence is present without completely taking over.
- Palate: The palate gets considerably denser, with sherry, nuttiness and dark sweetness building quickly. The high rye brings a climbing pepper note that keeps the finish from becoming overly sweet.
- Finish: Sherry and pepper coalesce into molasses, white pepper and dark red fruit, with a smoky, almost barbecue-like character. It is powerful without becoming dominated by the finishing barrel.
Dark Arts at the 2026 Kentucky Bourbon Festival: Six Limited Releases
- You are Here: KBF Oloroso Sherry Finished Single Barrel Kentucky Bourbon
- 13 Year French Oaked Finished KY Bourbon
- Tres Vieux 15 Year MGP Rye
- “Chief Alchemist Reserve Cuvée” 19 Year Mizunara Finished KY Bourbon
- “Flight of Icarus” 11.5 Yr Hazmat Kentucky Bourbon
- “Supernova” 21 Year American Light Whiskey
This is probably the easiest bottle in the six-pack to recommend strictly from a price-to-liquid perspective. The 9-year bourbon brings an unusually high amount of rye to the mashbill, while the Oloroso sherry finish adds dark fruit, nuttiness, smoke and sweetness without completely overwhelming the bourbon underneath. At 118.4 proof and $99.99, this is one of those bottles where the numbers actually line up with what’s in the glass.
Distinctiveness
The combination of a 39% rye mashbill and Oloroso sherry finish makes this considerably more interesting than a conventional finished bourbon.
The rye brings a huge amount of pepper and spice, while the sherry contributes dark red fruit, molasses, nuttiness and smoke. What’s particularly impressive is that the sherry never feels like it has simply been layered on top of the bourbon.
The two elements actually interact, creating a whiskey that’s heavily sherry influenced but still unmistakably a high-rye bourbon.
(Author’s Note: Presentation is not judged when a small sample is provided)
“What’s particularly impressive is that the sherry never feels like it has simply been layered on top of the bourbon.”
Transparency
Dark Arts provides the important basics: 9 years old, Kentucky bourbon, the mashbill, barrel finish and 118.4 proof.
Where I think the story could be stronger is in explaining where that unusual 51/39/10 mashbill comes from.
Given how much the rye contributes to the finished whiskey, knowing more about the source of the base bourbon would add meaningful context rather than just satisfying curiosity.
The whiskey is transparent about what it is; I’d simply like the sourcing story to go one step further.
Value
This is the bargain buy of the six for me.
A 9-year bourbon finished in Oloroso sherry casks and bottled at 118.4 proof for $99.99 is a very compelling proposition.
More importantly, the liquid actually delivers enough quality to support the price rather than relying on the age statement and finishing alone. If you’re looking for one bottle from this lineup where the price feels easiest to justify, this is it.
Buy if:
- You’re a sherry-finished whiskey fan
- You love high-rye bourbon
- You want barrel-proof value
- You like dark fruit and smoky sweetness
Skip if:
- You dislike sherry influence
- You prefer low-rye bourbon
- You want a lighter, fruitier pour
- You don’t enjoy big spice
Verdict
This is the bottle I’d point to when someone asks which of the six Dark Arts KBF releases offers the easiest argument for “just buy it.” The combination of a nine-year bourbon, 118.4 proof and Oloroso finishing at $99.99 is hard to ignore.
More importantly, the finish works. Dark Arts has a knack for adding significant barrel influence without making the whiskey feel like it was simply dumped into a finishing cask and forgotten. Here, the sherry’s dark fruit, nuttiness and smoke actually have something interesting to play against in that 39% rye mashbill.
Bourbon Bishop Bottom Line:
A sherry lover’s dream that may be the best bargain in the lineup.
For those who prefer numbers, here’s the full score breakdown:
- Nose: 4 / 7
- Palate: 5.75 / 7
- Finish: 6.25 / 7
- Presentation: N/A
- Distinctiveness: 6 / 7
- Transparency: 6 / 7
- Value: 6 / 7
Bourbon Bishop Rating: 5.67 / 7 – Divine
Top-shelf. Must-buy for fans of the style.
| Score | Descriptor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 0–1 | Hell No | Drain pour. Seriously undrinkable. |
| 1.1–2 | Purgatory | Bad, but could be worse. Only in extreme cases. |
| 2.1–3 | Only Earthly | Just okay. Best used as a mixer. |
| 3.1–4 | Bliss | Passable to Good sipper. Works well in cocktails. |
| 4.1–5 | Angelic | Good to great. Often high value for the price. |
| 5.1–6 | Divine | Top-shelf. Must-buy for fans of the style. |
| 6.1–7 | Holy Heaven | Out-of-this-world. A true unicorn. |
Disclosure: This sample was provided to me free of charge for review. All opinions are my own.
About Dark Arts Whiskey House
Alchemy over convention. Flavor over formula.
Dark Arts doesn’t position itself as a distillery in the traditional sense. It’s a blending, rebarreling, and finishing house built around a single idea: good whiskey can become something more.
Their philosophy leans heavily into the language of alchemy, not just as branding, but as process. Wood, fire, grain, and water aren’t endpoints; they’re starting materials. Through unconventional finishing techniques and deliberate blending, the goal is transformation into what they call “liquid gold.” It’s equal parts technical control and willingness to push into less-charted territory.
At the center of that identity is the figure of Damos, a mythologized ancient alchemist who represents curiosity taken to its edge: the pursuit of meaning over mere knowledge. It’s a narrative device, sure, but it mirrors the brand’s ethos. Not just making whiskey, but trying to redefine what it can be.
That mindset shows up in their process. Dark Arts sources high-quality barrels, then applies non-traditional maturation and finishing methods, often layering casks or using less common wood profiles, to create blends that prioritize flavor impact over category expectations. In a region defined by heritage and consistency, they’ve carved out space by leaning the other direction: experimentation with intent.
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