The seventh release from Kentucky Senator Bourbon leans fully into traditional Kentucky bourbon territory — nutty, baking spice-driven, and layered with vintage whiskey echoes that feel tailor-made for a summer baseball game.
There’s something fitting about pairing baseball nostalgia with a bourbon profile that occasionally feels pulled from another era. The latest release from Kentucky Senator Bourbon — the Jim Bunning Release — leans heavily into classic Kentucky bourbon character while carrying enough depth and age to feel distinct from the endless stream of younger sourced releases currently flooding the market.
At 8.5 years old, 107 proof, and bottled from Kentucky distillate at Bardstown Bourbon Company, this “very small batch” release continues the brand’s collectible senator-themed lineup while also serving as the second entry in its ongoing vertical series following last year’s John Edwards release.
The result is a bourbon that feels intentionally traditional: nutty, spice-forward, sweet in a darker and more mature way, and unmistakably Kentucky.
Stats
- Age: 8.5 year
- Proof: 107 (53.5% ABV)
- Mashbill: 75% Rye│ 21% Malted Barley │ 4% Malted Barley
- Origin: Bardstown Bourbon Company — Bardstown, Kentucky
- Finish: Straight
- Batch: 7
- Release: Limited release (~4,000 bottles), small batch
- MSRP: $119.99 (Bourbon Outfitter)
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Savory baking notes lead into buttered pie crust, cherry compote, vanilla frosting, and dusty brown sugar sweetness. A gentle peanut shell nuttiness underneath gives the whiskey an older-school Kentucky feel reminiscent of vintage Beam profiles.
- Palate: Nutty flavors of Thai peanut sauce and brown sugar pecan carry into baking spice heat, vanilla bean, and darker caramelized sweetness. It strongly recalls older Baker’s Bourbon releases with a balanced mix of warmth, sweetness, and classic Kentucky structure.
- Finish: Medium baking spice heat fades into caramel and dark berry compote with lingering blackberry and raspberry notes. Occasional flashes of dusty Wild Turkey character emerge late, giving the finish a slightly vintage feel.
Overall Impression
This release lands in an extremely comfortable middle ground. It’s flavorful enough to stay engaging, spicy enough to feel alive at 107 proof, yet approachable enough to work as an easy evening pour — or, fittingly, a summer baseball bourbon.
The biggest criticism is also part of its appeal: it stays fairly focused throughout. Nutty notes, deeper vanilla sweetness, baking spice, and brown sugar remain the core themes from start to finish. If you’re searching for wild transitions or experimental flavors, this likely won’t scratch that itch.
But for drinkers who simply want a well-aged, confidently traditional Kentucky bourbon profile executed at a high level, the Jim Bunning Release does exactly that.
Presentation
One thing Kentucky Senator consistently nails is presentation. The brightly colored labels and abstract geometric designs stand out immediately on a shelf without drifting into gimmicky territory.
More importantly, the bottle communicates information clearly. Age, proof, mashbill, and sourcing details are boldly disclosed front-and-center rather than hidden behind marketing language. The back label may actually be the highlight, offering a concise historical overview of the senator connected to the release while helping each bottle feel like part bourbon release, part collectible piece of Kentucky history.
The Jim Bunning bottle especially benefits from the baseball connection, which gives the release a natural identity beyond just another sourced bourbon.
Distinctiveness
At its core, this is a recognizably Kentucky bourbon. Drinkers familiar with profiles from Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, or modern Bardstown-produced bourbon will immediately recognize parts of the DNA here.
What separates it slightly is the additional age and depth. The sweetness feels darker and more developed than many similarly proofed releases, while the dusty notes and berry finish occasionally hint toward older vintage bourbon profiles.
It’s not trying to reinvent Kentucky bourbon. It’s simply executing a classic style very well — and doing so with enough maturity to stand apart from younger, hotter competitors.
“Kentucky Senator Bourbon serves up great Kentucky bourbon with a side of Kentucky history.“
— Kentucky Senator
Transparency
For a relatively premium-priced sourced bourbon brand, the level of transparency here is genuinely appreciated.
The bottle clearly discloses:
- Distillation and bottling at Bardstown Bourbon Company
- Exact age statement
- Full mashbill
- Proof
- Bottle count
- Kentucky distillate sourcing
Many non-distiller producers at similar price points provide significantly less information. Kentucky Senator instead leans into transparency as part of the value proposition, which helps build trust even when pricing enters more premium territory.
Value
At $120, this absolutely lands on the higher side for an 8.5-year Kentucky bourbon — likely around $25–30 above where many drinkers would instinctively place it strictly from an age-and-proof standpoint.
Still, the value conversation becomes more nuanced once the broader package is considered.
The collectible nature of the Kentucky Senator lineup creates a genuine “gotta catch them all” factor for bourbon drinkers interested in Kentucky history, politics, baseball, or Americana more broadly. The vertical series concept adds another layer, especially for enthusiasts curious how the same bourbon evolves year-to-year with additional age.
The presentation is excellent, transparency is stronger than most comparable NDP brands, and the whiskey itself delivers a genuinely enjoyable and mature Kentucky profile.
Would it feel stronger around the $90 range? Probably. But in today’s premium bourbon market, the price doesn’t feel absurdly disconnected from what’s in the bottle either.
Buy if:
- You love classic Kentucky bourbon profiles
- Older Baker’s or vintage Jim Beam notes appeal to you
- You enjoy collectible or history-driven bourbon releases
- You’re a baseball fan looking for a genuinely thematic bottle
Skip if:
- You prefer highly experimental or oak-heavy profiles
- You’re extremely value-sensitive at the $120 price point
- You dislike nut-forward Kentucky bourbon
- You want explosive complexity rather than focused execution
Verdict
The Jim Bunning Release succeeds because it understands exactly what it wants to be.
This is traditional Kentucky bourbon with a little extra age, a little extra depth, and enough dusty character to occasionally flirt with vintage whiskey territory. It won’t overwhelm you with complexity, but it delivers a confident, satisfying profile that feels increasingly rare in a market chasing extremes.
For fans of nutty Kentucky bourbon, older Baker’s-style profiles, or baseball-and-bourbon nostalgia, this is an easy bottle to appreciate.
For those who prefer numbers, here’s the full score breakdown:
- Nose: 5 / 7
- Palate: 4.5 / 7
- Finish: 4.75 / 7
- Presentation: 6 / 7
- Distinctiveness: 3.5 / 7
- Transparency: 7 / 7
- Value: 4.54 / 7
Bourbon Bishop Rating: 5.04 / 7 – Angelic
Good to great. Often high value for the price.
| 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 bottle was provided to me free of charge for review. All opinions are my own.
About Jim Bunning
Jim Bunning remains one of the more uniquely qualified figures to ever appear on a bourbon label.
Before serving two terms in the United States Senate, Bunning built a Hall of Fame baseball career that included nine All-Star selections, over 2,800 strikeouts, and a perfect game for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1964 — the first National League perfect game in over 80 years at the time.
For bourbon drinkers, though, his most lasting contribution may have come in 2007 when he introduced Senate Resolution 294 officially designating September as National Bourbon Heritage Month and helping cement bourbon’s now-famous designation as “America’s Native Spirit.”
That contribution gives this release a particularly natural connection to bourbon history itself rather than simply borrowing a recognizable Kentucky name.
About Kentucky Senator
Kentucky Senator Bourbon revives a historic Kentucky whiskey label once produced by Crigler & Crigler in Covington and later by Double Springs Distillers in Bardstown. The modern brand is led by Andre Regard and Damon Thayer, who have rebuilt Kentucky Senator around limited 107-proof releases tied to notable Kentucky senators and historical figures.
Each bottle blends bourbon with storytelling — pairing mature Kentucky whiskey, collectible presentation, and regional history into a series that feels distinct from most modern sourced bourbon brands. The releases intentionally lean into Kentucky culture, politics, sports, and Americana rather than avoiding the complexities that come with historical figures.
Regard brings deep bourbon lineage to the project as a direct descendant of Basil Hayden and the founders of Old Grand-Dad Whiskey, while Thayer spent more than two decades in the Kentucky Senate advocating for the bourbon industry before entering the business directly. Together, the founders give the brand a level of authenticity that feels rooted in actual Kentucky bourbon culture rather than manufactured nostalgia.
The result is a bourbon series that works equally well as a collectible archive of Kentucky history and as a lineup of mature, transparently sourced Kentucky whiskey.
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