From Barrel to Bottle: Crafting K&L’s Faultline 100 Proof Bourbon

Blending Faultline 100 Proof Bourbon: A Kentucky Warehouse Hunt

Striding through a cool warehouse on a hot Kentucky day, I was hunting for treasure. Hiding somewhere inside the countless old, rough barrels was a golden opportunity; a chance to create my first small batch blend for K&L’s discerning followers.

David and I had already found three beautiful barrels of ten-year-old straight bourbon whiskey earlier that summer. Two were destined for the greatness of a cask-strength single-barrel bottling, while the third would be the bedrock for our ten-barrel blend, a release commemorating the very first Faultline bourbon from years before. Like the original, we planned to marry five 7‑year barrels with five 10‑year barrels. I knew the barrels were there—the trick was finding the ones that worked together.

The search began with drilling.  That familiar whirring sound brought a sudden burst of amber liquid that splashed into my Glencairn. Anticipation bubbling, I took one sip, then another… a letdown. Not bad, but not what I was looking for, either. On to the next barrel. And the next. And the next.

I started to feel like a jerk, worrying I was wasting the friendly warehouse crew’s time. Selecting something mediocre was not an option, but as the drill buzzed again and again, I grew concerned about palate fatigue. Every six or seven barrels, I would revisit that special third barrel, just to be sure my tastebuds were still alive. When that familiar golden flavor continued to bring a lip smack and a smile, I’d renew the hunt once more.

Finally, a standout barrel presented itself. The level of spice was off the charts, but it was baking spice—not the burn of underage alcohol. Another couple of duds were next, but two keepers followed the first, and more were on their way. By the time we bottled them, all five barrels turned eight years old.

The ten-year-old barrels were somewhat easier, as the extra age provided more character, more roundness, more depth. But the flavors seemed to vary that much more; some slapped you in the face with spice, while others drank like straight caramel or the juice at the bottom of a jar of cherries. I started crossing off barrels from my notes in a frenzy, writing thoughts such as “one more berry” or “keep marshmallow barrel.” I needed to fill some gaps. Without a range of samples and beakers for blending, I had to rely on my notes and the memories of my mouth before my palate was completely exhausted. At last, we had them: ten barrels marked with big X’s or “K&L,” tagged and logged, ready to travel to sunny California for blending and bottling.

As K&L’s employee based in the Bluegrass State, I flew to the Bay Area months later for the blending and bottling finale. David, Josh, and I drove through the pouring rain to Prohibition Spirits Distillery in Sonoma. My confidence that I’d found the right balance of whiskeys had been worn down by time, so I was nervous to taste our final blend. After much bung-knocking and barrel-thieving, we set out a long line of Glencairns with numbered, red and yellow post it notes and set ourselves to tasting. Tasting fresh, I relaxed as the barrels’ personalities reappeared. We compared notes: “Barrel #5—cinnamon bread and fresh bark?” “This one—some umami.” Josh even caught a whiff of curry.

Like a trio of mad scientists, we used beakers and droppers to make sure each whiskey was added in equal measure, calculating the strength of each dram so we could proof the blended spirit down to exactly 50% ABV. We poured our newly-created concoction and made a toast— to friends, to whiskey, to having one hell of a wonderful job—and watched each other’s eyes light up. It’s my sincere hope that those who taste it feel the same way—and have as much fun tasting it as we had blending it.

Faultline 100 Proof Bourbon is bottled exclusively for K&L Wine Merchants and available while stocks last.
K&L's "Faultline" 100 Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $39.99

- Stephanie Manning, Rare Spirits Auction & Acquisition Advisor