Keyholder’s Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: A

Ever since bourbon tourism became a thing, Woodford County has sat astride the byways of its eastern corner. The county seat of Versailles (pronounced Francophobically as Ver-sales) is the crossroads for Four Roses and Wild Turkey to the south, Buffalo Trace to the north, and Woodford Reserve in the county itself. Those are just the legacy distilleries in the region; add to that all the newcomer bourbon-makers in Woodford and Fayette County.

With that crossroads location and proximity to Keeneland, the heart of Kentucky’s thoroughbred horse industry, it was only a matter of time before Versailles came to host its own posh, boutique hotel and associated upscale steakhouse in the form of the Aldenberg Hotel and Silks Steakhouse. Although the hotel is perhaps more oriented to horse racing fans and breeding customers (certainly during the horse season), the location is even better than Lexington for exploring distilleries in that part of the state. It naturally follows that, with Silks and its bar program to consider, they would have their own private barrel bottling brand, the Vault Series.

The first example in the Vault Series is Keyholder’s Reserve 10 Year Old, a single barrel and cask strength bourbon sourced through Jim Beam. Available only at Aldenberg/Silks, it is as worthy making the stop at the restaurant bar for a pour as any private barrel pick in the state, and then some.

The Bourbon
A pour of Keyholder’s takes on amber with nut brown leanings once it gets into a NEAT glass. The cask strength for this particular barrel dump came out at 61.5% ABV.

The nose comes on with intensity, but stays in the center lane for classical bourbon: strong caramel, baking spices, brown sugar and woody. What stands out is how well-balanced the scent is, and after a splash of water it turns mellow as well. The flavor is just as full-boded and ballsy as that nose suggested, again delivering a potent current of classic bourbon flavor. The woody aspect puts a foot into nuttiness, but otherwise it’s brown sugar, baking spices and vanilla. Again, these characteristics are well-balanced, and overall the drink is quite mellow even without water. The finish opens with its baking spices, fading down to a light touch of oak.

Although the warehouse and floor selection is probably different, when one considers the source and stats for this whiskey, it reads like an older, single/private barrel bottling of Booker’s. It drinks like it too. Thirty years ago, I described Booker’s to friends as a “sucker puncher,” which is to say you order a double at the bar and have no idea just how much alcohol you’ve consumed until you stand up off the stool. To employ some boxing terminology, this is a sucker puncher with timing and accuracy. Where Booker’s is a contender, Keyholder’s Reserve is a champ.

Again, if you find yourself in Woodford County, make a point of stopping at the Silks bar, even if you don’t dine there, and get yourself a pour. It will be the highlight of your tasting agenda that day.