Cream of Kentucky Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
Cream of Kentucky Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is the revival of a legendary pre-Prohibition brand: 100 proof (50% ABV), 750mL Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a no-age-statement small-batch release selected by Jim Rutledge — and it is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
Cream of Kentucky dates to 1888, when I. Trager & Co. of Cincinnati registered it; Schenley acquired the brand and reintroduced it in 1934, making it a leading bourbon through the 1930s and 1940s with Norman Rockwell artwork. Today it is owned by J.W. Rutledge — Jim Rutledge, Four Roses Master Distiller from 1994 to 2015, who came out of retirement to resurrect the brand with partners Stephen Camisa and Jon Mowry, building a modern sustainable distillery near Louisville. Until his own distillate matures, Rutledge sources limited Kentucky straight bourbon he deems worthy of the name, bottled at Kentucky Artisan Distillery in Crestwood, KY. The Small Batch is a non-age-statement, limited release; reviewer-reported mash bill is 72% corn, 18% rye, and 10% malted barley (the brand does not publish it — treat "proprietary/undisclosed" as official).
Tasting notes (Summer 2024 release notes, via retailers): a nose of honeyed pome fruits and orange blossoms; a smooth palate of crème brûlée, banana, and honeycrisp apple rounding into soft oak; a finish of deep honeyed notes and lingering sweetness. Independent review (Drinkhacker, 2025, B+): toasted peanut on the nose, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and raspberry on the palate, a thin finish for 50% ABV with nut butter, coconut cream, and cinnamon — "$70, perfect for mixing into tall drinks."
Why buy Cream of Kentucky Small Batch? Because it is Jim Rutledge's resurrection of an 1888 icon — a sourced Kentucky straight bourbon chosen by a legend, at a full 100 proof. Browse the Cream of Kentucky brand collection, more bourbon, and other whisky favorites.
Serving note: drinks neat with its honeyed profile; the 100 proof also holds up beautifully on the rocks.
Is it 100 or 102 proof? The current Small Batch release is 100 proof (50% ABV); the 102-proof figure belongs to the separate 13-Year-Old expression.
Who makes Cream of Kentucky? J.W. Rutledge — led by Jim Rutledge, former Four Roses Master Distiller (1994–2015); the current releases are sourced Kentucky bourbon bottled at Kentucky Artisan Distillery in Crestwood, KY.
How old is the Small Batch? No age statement is published; it is a limited small-batch release.
Did Jim Rutledge distill this? The brand story: Rutledge purchased and selected a limited supply of Kentucky straight bourbon he felt worthy of the revival — he did not distill the current releases.