Kentucky Gentleman Bourbon Review
By Richard Thomas
Rating: F
Few entries into the whiskey market have ever been as misnamed as Kentucky Gentleman. Certainly Imperial whiskey is anything but, yet the concept of empire is a vague one, meaning different things to different people. The phrase “Kentucky Gentleman” implies a certain Southern genteelness, and frankly, no one possessed with such grace and class would ever stoop to drinking anything resembling Kentucky Gentleman whiskey. Unless, of course, that individual were a whiskey writer imbued with the selfless mission of informing the public as to just what, exactly, Kentucky Gentleman Bourbon is…
The Bourbon
Kentucky Gentleman is wrongly thought of as a bourbon, but in reality it is a blended whiskey, which is 51% bourbon and 49% grain spirits. The whiskey is made by Barton and bottled at 80 proof (40% abv).
In the glass, as in the bottle, the whiskey has an amber coloring that is more brown than copper, and looks like nothing quite so much as thinly brewed iced tea. The nose and flavor alike are watery, with equal measures of caramel and corn sweetness, coupled to a nauseating astringency. The finish reminds me of a cheap, knock-off cough syrup.
The Price
The sole redeeming characteristic of this very downmarket wino fuel is it’s price: one-liter bottles go for about $10 and 1.75-liter party bottles (although serving this at a party should rid you of your friends in a hurry) run less than $15. Yet even at those low, low prices, somehow it’s just not worth it, as the C-grade stuff is usually right next to Kentucky Gentleman and available for only a few more dollars.
This is the whiskey equivalent of bum wine. See bumwines.com.
I don’t like you sir hdocbsjskx
Shut your pie-hole, Carl.
everyone’s entitled to their own opinions, & i respectfully disagree with yours.
KG is the only bourbon I’ve ever seen in 1960s Japanese yakuza films right before the wakizashi blades come out..
I find this particular drink to be cheap, potent, and with a taste on the order of an old porta-potty. However, this was based on approximately 2 to 4 ounces, served neat. I actually purchased three 1.75 liter bottles to put into a 5 liter charred white oak barrel, just to keep the wood conditioned, and for under USD 40.00. So within this context, it was/is a bargain. I will let it sit until my 5 gallon still is up and running again, maybe 6 months or so, and then replace KG with my own corn brew liquor. Which is far and away better, even when still green!
Well a wine expert once told me “don’t buy wine by name or country, buy what you like” I like Kentucky Bourbon even if that makes me a cheap wino. Flavor and enjoyment is all I am after.
I’m comparing Jim Beam Black to Kentucky Gentleman as I type. I’ve already compared it to Crown. No one in this group of hard working middle America and licensed professionals have noticed the difference. Kentucky Gentleman has a nice mouth filling comfortable taste with a smooth finish. No headaches in the mornings plus we all woke up feeling healthy.
I like you sir blahsudkzbx
Thank you. I paid $7.49 for 750 ml. It was not great but not terrible. An ice cube in the glass and who knew how much I paid. Lots of whiskey snobs around the web. To stick in my motorcycle saddlebag for a weekend jaunt without busting the bank was the goal. I could not tell the difference between KG and other cheapies at twice as much. Every time I buy a cheap bottle of anything and it isn’t as bad as the price would suggest I check out the reviews of the snobs for a laugh. Now a whiskey to gag on is Georgia Moon:)
Absolutely! Very smooth for a low priced whiskey.
I drink Kentucky gentleman regularly throughout the week and coming from someone that can afford Jack Daniels or any of the other it is not a bad whiskey for the price I feel it Kentucky gentleman was priced 10 to 15 dollars more no one would be talking bad about it it’s because it is priced cheaply so people can talk shit about it just my opinion though 🤷🏻♂️
I meant bumwine.com no “s”.
HOW DARE YOU!?! I’ve been drinking KG all my life, and it is THE best whiskey … EVER.
Haha Carl. Your awesome. Anything 80 proof mixed with cola will get the job done.
I could see that reduction is the name of your game.
i like the stuff,,its not sweet ,also,
has no rye tase,,i wish i know thee base 51% stright bourbon,,,
Too me this whiskey is my favorite its cheap and has well to me it has an oak finish the blends areare exilent its my fav
KG is the perfect breakfast bourbon 😉
It’s not bourbon!
If you had read the article, you would know there are two versions and you’re wrong.
Two versions?? What article are you referring to? Where is KG Bourbon available?
One is labeled Blended Whiskey and the other Bourbon Whiskey. I’ve seen both available at places like Walmart.
I think that Kentucky Gentlemen is often unfairly maligned. It may not be as smooth say as Jack Daniels but it is still eminently drinkable. And at less than half the price of Jack, it is much more of a bargain
I guess I’m not a whiskey snob. I had no problem with KG and always considered Jack to be in the same league as paint stripper. It’s mixable but straight, it’s nasty. If I’m going to sip any appreciable amount, it’s going to be Wild Turkey.
If Col. Sanders drank bourbon would he have drank Kentucky Fried Gentleman?
Very consistent product that is very drinkable. Im old enough to remember when Beam was considered to cheap to drink. It never was to cheap to drink.
Forget KG. If you want to drink a cheap non-bourbon, try Early Times. Aged 3+ yrs in used Old Forester barrels. Yummy. Or Old Crow, sour mash byy Beam but better than Beam white label, and only $14/1.75 liters. That’s $14 for the 750ml that’s better than Beam, and a whole liter FREE!
Worked perfect for a hot toddy
I love you guys lol this really isn’t as bad as I remember I do prefer cheap vodka though it’s a bit more bearable. I just had a 50ml of smithworks though got it for a dollar now that’s some yummy stuff and Blake Shelton likes it and is the brands endorser I didn’t even know that when I bought it lol
Goes well with beans….
1st time i’ve ever purchased a 1.75L of this was a couple days ago, but i think a bar or 2 i’ve frequented in the past were using it as their well whiskey. it’s tolerable straight & mixes pretty well with dr pepper… not too bad at all for $13
Yeah, Dr Pepper and cheap KG bourbon. I’m with brother!
This writer hit the nail right on the head. It’s cheap, watery, and tastes nothing of bourbon or whiskey.
It’s still better than any Tennessee boy can make. I will buy it before I ever buy Tennessee whiskey.
some snob who drives Cadillac or mercedes will say that Kia is crap. Opinion is like an a.. and you know the rest.
I just watched the bartender pour a shot for one of the cooks at the bar. He unceremoniously dumped it into a plastic to-go cup with a lid before he left for the night. I hadn’t thought about Kentucky Gentleman in years, but remembered it as “not bad” from when I quit being a good Southern Baptist abstainer. As a Kentucky Colonel, the name appeals to the same romantic strain of thought. I think I’ll have one before I close out.
Been drinking KG for years very relaxing, price is right. I drank old grand dad when it was 100 proof.
jack was to bitter. Beam was to mild, evan Williams lost something and the price went up. Eagle was my favorite don’t sell it at total wines where I live anymore.
Very best….wsky
Reminds me alot of Canadian Club
Why does it taste like very cheap rum? Very sugary vanilla finish to it when I mix it with Coke Zero. I prefer Evan and Jack.
curiously, the Kentucky Gentleman name is used in Finland for a straight bourbon bottling. https://www.alko.fi/en/products/001516/Kentucky-Gentleman/ Still, being a Barton product does not inspire me to try it on my next visit.
I think it is ok, but the sweetness and a little whiskey flavor and the alcohol burn, thats it,ok. It’s good not great, it’s ok.
This is the best whiskey I ever had and I had lots.
I feel like this review was a bit harsh. It’s not comparable to anything like Jim and jack. However in the bottom shelf whiskeys is right priced. You get what you pay for and it doesn’t taste bad. But if you take a sip of this after a sip of Jameson, we’ll it’s shit whiskey..
KG is not so bad as the whiskey snobs imply. For those of us on a very strict budget, it’s hard to beat. Way smoother than KD, and no hangover, yet the buzz can’t be differentiated from Jack or Beam.
Yum. Right up there with Ten High and Benchmark. Makes the back of your tongue wiggle and the cola hide at the bottom of the glass. But, then again, I’m under the marvelous influence of Early Times.
Im a bourbon Drinker with that being said Kentucky Gentleman under tones hit just right. Snobs pay for anything that’s over priced
I’ve had many bourbons. They include American, Scottish, English, and many others you wouldn’t think of…
KG, for the money, is one of the finest and smoothest bourbs of all.
It has a delightful caramel front, smoky sweet cover along the palate, and finishes smooth.
It is in my bar, along with all the others from over the world, and will be always.