Kentucky Owl 'Mardi Gras XO Cask' Limited Edition 11 Year Old Rye Whiskey
Kentucky Owl 'Mardi Gras XO Cask' Limited Edition 11 Year Old Rye Whiskey is a 51.4% ABV (102.8 proof) Kentucky straight rye whiskey — an extremely small release created through Stoli Group's diverse portfolio. It begins as an 11-year-old Kentucky straight rye, then spends over a year finishing in Bayou Rum XO casks — the rare casks of the Louisiana rum distiller — created in celebration of the spirit of Mardi Gras and the pride of Louisiana. The Bayou XO casks wrap the rye's spice in layers of buttered, rum-kissed richness. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 51.4% (102.8 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Age: 11 years Kentucky straight rye whiskey
- Finish: over 1 year in Bayou Rum XO casks (Louisiana)
- Edition: limited Mardi Gras edition via Stoli Group
Mardi Gras in a Bottle
This is a true finish — more than a year in the Bayou XO casks — not a quick barrel kiss, and it shows: the nose opens with robust toasted rye bread notes smothered in farm-fresh sweet butter, with hints of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. The mouthfeel begins with a robust, flavorful Kentucky straight rye, followed by a flurry of sweet butter whipped with allspice; the finish is smooth, the sweet softness of butter and allspice giving way to a long, warming nutmeg coda. Kentucky Owl has built its reputation on resurrecting a pre-Prohibition brand and blending uncompromising aged whiskey; the Mardi Gras XO Cask is one of its rarest expressions. Explore rye whiskey or the full Kentucky Owl lineup.
Tasting Notes
Nose: robust toasted rye bread, farm-fresh sweet butter, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg. Palate: robust Kentucky straight rye, then sweet butter whipped with allspice. Finish: smooth — butter and allspice melting into a long, warming nutmeg coda.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a Glencairn to let the butter-and-spice finish unfold; a few drops of water will open the toasted rye bread character. A collector's pour, not a mixer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Bayou Rum XO casks? Casks from Bayou, the Louisiana rum distiller — the XO here refers to the rum's own prestige tier, not cognac XO. The Mardi Gras edition celebrates Louisiana's spirit.
How long was it finished? Over one year in the Bayou Rum XO casks — an unusually long finish for a rye whiskey.
How rare is it? An extremely small limited release produced via Stoli Group; when the allocation is gone, it is gone.
An extremely small rye release — order Kentucky Owl Mardi Gras XO Cask online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.