Orphan Barrel Fable & Folly 14 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey
Orphan Barrel Fable & Folly 14 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey is a 90-proof (45% ABV) Kentucky whiskey in a 750mL bottle — a marriage of the last remaining stocks of three earlier Orphan Barrel releases (Barterhouse, Forged Oak, and various Rhetorics) with aged rye and corn whiskies, every component at least 14 years old — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- Proof: 90 proof (45% ABV) — unanimous across retailers
- Size: 750mL
- Age: minimum 14 years old
- Blend: final stocks of Barterhouse, Forged Oak, and Rhetoric releases married with aged rye and corn whiskies — technically a blended whiskey of bourbon and rye components, released 2022
- Origin: Kentucky — Diageo's Orphan Barrel project, built on rare stocks aging in its Kentucky rickhouses
- Label art: fuses the Fox (Barterhouse), Hummingbird (Rhetoric), and Stag (Forged Oak) label beasts
The Last of Three Legends
Orphan Barrel is Diageo's project for bottling rare, long-forgotten whiskey stocks found aging in its Kentucky rickhouses — and Fable & Folly is its eulogy: when the master blender discovered the last remaining stores of Barterhouse, Forged Oak, and Rhetoric, they were married with aged rye and corn whiskies rather than left to evaporate. The result balances the rich, creamy character of the orphaned bourbons with the spiciness of the aged rye. Honest note: despite the bourbon-whiskey shelf placement, this is technically a blend — and the draft says so. Browse bourbon whiskey, all whisky, or the Orphan Barrel range.
Tasting Notes
Brand copy (via Diageo/retailer listings): "a burst of spice" that "delicately warms to a creamy richness with sweet notes of syrup and fruit" — subtly sweet toffee, hints of pepper spice, and a rich charred-oak finish. Reviewer consensus (labeled as such): DrinkHacker (A−) found baking spice, baked apple, grapefruit and lemon peel, milk chocolate, and cinnamoned candied nuts; Bourbon Culture noted heavy oak, leather, maple, dried tobacco, and dark fruit. Reviewers split on whether it's too oaky; overall well received.
How to Enjoy
Neat or on the rocks — reviewers recommend giving it time in the glass, as the baked-apple and spice notes open up with air. A collector's pour as much as a drinker's one; each Orphan Barrel release is limited.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Orphan Barrel Fable & Folly made from?
The final stocks of three earlier Orphan Barrel releases — Barterhouse, Forged Oak and Rhetoric — blended with aged rye and corn whiskies, all at least 14 years old.
Is Fable & Folly a bourbon or a blend?
It's a blended American whiskey containing bourbon and rye components; it's marketed under Diageo's Orphan Barrel bourbon line but is technically a blend.
What is the Orphan Barrel project?
Diageo's project bottling rare, long-forgotten whiskey stocks found aging in its Kentucky rickhouses — each release is a limited, collectible bottling with story-driven label art.
How should you drink Fable & Folly?
Best neat or on the rocks — reviewers recommend giving it time in the glass, as its baked-apple and spice notes open up with air.
A farewell blend fourteen years in the making — order Orphan Barrel Fable & Folly online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.