Sampling Kentucky Owl’s “Takumi” Edition Bourbon Whiskey – Where Smooth Comes As Standard – And Don’t Forget Loads Of Satisfying Flavour!

Kentucky Owl “Takumi” Edition Bourbon Whiskey

Kentucky Owl “Takumi” Edition Bourbon Whiskey has been released in the UK. The Takumi Edition is the second limited edition release from Kentucky Owl showcasing the brand’s innovative approach to traditional bourbon!

Amber Beverage UK, part of the Amber Beverage Group, is the UK distributor of Kentucky Owl and will be introducing the Takumi Edition to premium on-trade and off-trade accounts.

Never seen before – Origami wrapped Bourbon!

Takumi is a collaboration between Kentucky Owl’s Master Blender John Rhea and Nagahama Distillery’s Master Blender Yusuke Yahisa, this latest limited edition release blends new and old, showcasing Kentucky bourbon through the eyes of Japanese whisky. Both Kentucky and Japan are home to whiskey lovers who respect tradition and craftsmanship, but who also admire innovation.

The Japanese term kaizen — continuous improvement — echoes through this latest project. “Takumi” means “master” in Japanese, with the name of the release celebrating the art and craft of modern whisky blending. (I blogged all the details here … )

I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch of The Takumi Edition in London last week and had the great pleasure of being introduced to the team behind the launch including Tom Jones (from Wales – I kid you not!), Stoli Groups Global Brand Ambassador.

As much as his famous, singing namesake entertains, so did our Mr. Jones – talking us through this new Bourbon, bringing the whole ethos and process to life and then inviting us to taste some samples!

We first tasted their their previous editions: St. Patrick’s Edition (toffee with rum n’ raisin ice cream notes) and Confiscated (a fruitier delight) – before trying the Takumi.

Kentucky Owl also kindly gifted me a Origami wrapped bottle to take home for further tasting study. Thanks kentuckyowlbourbon.com / @kentuckyowl!

So, what did I think? Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – Kentucky Owl “Takumi” Edition Bourbon Whiskey (50%)

The Takumi Edition Bourbon is a blend of 4, 5, 6 and 13-year-old Kentucky straight bourbons with mash bills containing corn, rye or wheat, and malted barley.

Nose: A heady mix of toffee, sweet orange and crisp apple – all backed up with cereal notes.

Palate: Lovely, creamy, sweet orange, caramel and there’s also some apple and slight hints of chocolate.

Finish: A very warming finish with some smooth spiciness and some lasting fruity sweetness. It’s a very controlled finish that treats the taster very gently. Not too harsh – not too peppery – in fact, just right!

Overall: Too me, (adopting Yoda voice), “The orange is strong in this one!” And I think that’s a great thing. You can forget fieriness as well – there’s not a hint – smooth is the keyword for this premium whiskey and smooth comes as standard – and don’t forget loads of satisfying flavour as well!

Nagahama Distillery’s Master Blender Yusuke Yahisa & Kentucky Owl’s Master Blender John Rhea. Rhea and Yahisa worked together to create the resulting Takumi Edition blend, with Rhea selecting four different formulations and sending the samples to Japan. Yahisa evaluated those samples, which represented different ages and mash bills available from Kentucky Owl. Yahisa then created different blends with those formulations to develop one most reflective of his Japanese whisky style.

The Kentucky Owl Takumi Edition will be available to purchase shortly. RRP: £130. ABV: 50%

Kentucky Owl is available to buy from these Merchants:-

Once again, many thanks to @mprcomms for the invite and for looking after me, and of course, kentuckyowlbourbon.com / @kentuckyowl, for producing such a phenomenal premium bourbon whiskey!

About Kentucky Owl:

Founded in 1879 by C.M. Dedman, Kentucky Owl offers an artfully blended line of craft Bourbon and Rye Whiskey, each bottled at a proof selected by the Master Blender to bring out the exceptional flavour profile of each product. Kentucky Owl products are for those who appreciate high quality, attention to detail, artisanship, and authentic heritage. For more information, visit kentuckyowlbourbon.com

About Stoli Group:

Stoli Group was established in 2013 and is responsible for the production, management, and distribution of a global spirits and wines portfolio. Mainly known for the Stoli Vodka brand, Stoli Group has expanded to appeal to luxury on-premise and more sophisticated global consumers. Signature brands are: Stoli Vodka, elit™Vodka, Bayou Rum, Kentucky Owl™, Villa One™, Gator Bite™ Rum Liquers, Cenote™ Tequila, Tulchan Gin™, Se Busca™ Mezcal and Stoli Group’s wine division, Tenute del Mondo. With a presence across a network of more than 176 markets, Stoli Group works with a passionate team of 200 distributors around the world. Headquartered in Luxembourg, Stoli has production facilities in Spain, Italy, Argentina, and the United States, some of which are steeped in history dating back to the early part of the last century. For more information, visit stoli-group.com

About Amber Beverage UK:

Established in 1999, Amber Beverage Group UK (previously known as Cellar Trends) has an enviable record in building brands of wines, spirits and associated products in the UK. The company serves all sectors of the UK drinks trade in both on- and off-trade categories with a portfolio of 60 international brands. Since 2018, the company has been a part of Amber Beverage Group. For more information, visit amberbev.com