Kentucky’s Town Branch Refreshes Its Whiskey Blending Process
Lexington, Kentucky’s Town Branch Distillery—the only brewery and distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail—has announced an overhaul in its blending and batching process for several key whiskeys. The distillery has overhauled barrel selection methods, proofing techniques, and, most notably, increased the average age of the whiskeys within its updated blending strategy.
Town Branch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Under the leadership of Mark Lyons, a seventh-generation member of the founding Lyons family with deep roots in brewing, distilling, and cooperage, Town Branch has been refining its long-term vision. A major shift recently occurred with the re-envisioning of the flagship spirit: Town Branch Kentucky Straight Bourbon.
In late 2024, Town Branch tasted several new potential blends for its flagship bourbon. The result: a unanimous decision to adjust to a new blend that is aged 2 years longer on average, thanks to an increase in its available mature inventory. This adjustment not only enhanced the whiskey’s age but also expanded the variety of barrels used. The distillery currently has four mature bourbon mash bills available for blending, two of which are its primary for blending, both with the same grain build but different distillation methods: double pot-still and column-still. Along with these components, a longer proofing process was implemented to allow the whiskey to decant properly, developing additional flavor. The goal is to craft a blend driven by knowledge and experience, not necessity.
“We want to amplify and enhance the distinctive flavors and tasting notes of our blended Bourbon,” says Dave Bob Gaspar, National Brand Manager and Lead Blender. “Between 6-7 years of age, Town Branch Bourbons are at their peak, which gives us a more robust base for our blends.” The core blending range is between 5 and 8 years, and per current U.S. label laws, there is nothing under 4 years old in this NAS (No Age Statement) whiskey with all the barrels being selected for blending older than this.
The Art of Allocation to Improve The Art of Blending: Town Branch Rye and Single Malt
Town Branch Kentucky Straight Bourbon – 90 Proof is not the only brand to benefit from the recent blending upgrades. Two other original core offerings—Town Branch Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey – 100 Proof and Town Branch 7-Year Kentucky Single Malt Whiskey – 87 Proof—were intentionally slowed in 2024 with a soft allocation process to the market. Starting in 2025, these whiskeys will follow a blend-to-order annual allocation model.
These updated blending strategies focus on increasing the average age of the whiskey and delivering exceptional value to consumers. “We produce only what our network demands each year, and by knowing their needs in advance, we can craft a blend for these types of products that represents the best whiskey possible at that time—rather than a standardized product year after year,” says Robert Krass, Managing Director at Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co.
Both allocated whiskeys will be available for release later in the year, following the new blend of Town Branch Kentucky Straight Bourbon, which is now available on shelves nationwide.
