Kentucky Owl The Wiseman Bourbon Whiskey
Kentucky Owl The Wiseman Bourbon Whiskey is a 90.8-proof (45.4% ABV) Kentucky bourbon blending 4 to 8.5-year-old stocks — the brand's first release distilled by Kentucky Owl itself in collaboration with Bardstown Bourbon Company, under master blender John Rhea. The blend marries Kentucky Owl's own 4-year-old wheated bourbon and 4-year-old high-rye bourbon with sourced Kentucky bourbons aged 5.5 and 8.5 years. The name reaches back to 1879, when pharmacist Charles Mortimer Dedman founded Kentucky Owl and marketed his whiskey as "The Wise Man's Bourbon" — whiskey being commonly prescribed medicine in those days. Revived in 2014 by Dedman's great-great-grandson Dixon Dedman, the brand has become a modern collector favorite. This 750mL bottle earned Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in both 2022 and 2023. Order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 45.4% (90.8 proof)
- Size: 750mL
- Age: Blend of 4 to 8.5-year-old bourbons (wheated + high-rye recipes)
- Origin: Bardstown, Kentucky — Kentucky Owl with Bardstown Bourbon Company
- Awards: Double Gold, SFWSC 2022 & 2023; 95 pts Tasting Panel; 92 pts Whisky Advocate (#17 Top 20 of 2021)
- Heritage: Brand founded 1879 by Charles Mortimer Dedman; revived 2014
The Wise Man's Bourbon, Reborn
There's a lot of history in the name: Dedman's original "Wise Man's Bourbon" nodding to his pharmacist's trade, a Prohibition-era shutdown that seized some 250,000 gallons, and a family revival four generations later. In the glass, The Wiseman is rounded and generous — sweet vanilla and caramel up front, warming cloves and cinnamon, a touch of cocoa, stewed orange peel and white pepper on the nose; baking spice and dried fruit (raisins, dates) with a slightly hay-like woody note on the palate; lingering spice and vanilla on the faintly drying finish. The 4-to-8.5-year blend gives it both freshness and depth. Compare Kentucky icons in our bourbon collection or explore the Kentucky Owl range.
Tasting Notes
Nose: sweet vanilla and caramel, warming cloves and cinnamon, touch of cocoa, stewed orange peel, white pepper. Palate: rounded — vanilla, caramel, baking spice, dried fruit, faint hay-like wood. Finish: lingering spice and vanilla, faintly drying.
How to Enjoy
Neat in a Glencairn to catch the full spice arc, or with a splash of water to open the vanilla. The 90.8 proof also makes a refined Old Fashioned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called "The Wiseman"?
Founder Charles Mortimer Dedman was a pharmacist whose 1879 bourbon was marketed as "The Wise Man's Bourbon" — a nod to his profession, since whiskey was commonly prescribed medicinally.
How old is Kentucky Owl The Wiseman?
It's a non-age-stated blend of bourbons aged 4 to 8.5 years, combining wheated and high-rye recipes.
What awards has The Wiseman won?
Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2022 and 2023, 95 points from Tasting Panel, and 92 points with a #17 spot on Whisky Advocate's Top 20 Whiskies of 2021.
Wise men drink well — order Kentucky Owl The Wiseman Bourbon Whiskey online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.