The Craft of Castle & Key
Craft Distilled with Purpose & Time
We make bourbon the way it should be made, with patience and respect for tradition. Every barrel tells a story of dedication to the craft.
Explore our Process
A Better Approach to Spirits
Castle & Key is focused on transparency and quality in our spirits production. With these core paradigms, our team knew the only way to produce the spirits that would meet this expectation was to produce everything from scratch. This allows us to monitor and control every step in our process to the highest standard.
Grains
This perspective is exemplified in our grains selection with our team identifying and acquiring the best corn, wheat, rye, and malted barley available within the industry. Working closely with local partners such as Walnut Grove Farms to grow white corn, yellow corn, and heirloom grains gives our whiskies a distinct sense of place.
Distillation
Bourbon
Our team was able to reintegrate a variety of components from the historic distillery in our production process with the support of Clark Mechanical. These vessels were connected to our modern Vendome stills, the gold standard in distillation equipment. Even after six years of distillation, our team is constantly upgrading and expanding our operations with a focus on quality and the future of Castle & Key spirits.
Clear Spirits
Castle & Key distills its gin and vodka from a rye-based spirit made entirely at our historic Kentucky distillery. Our vodka highlights the purity of our limestone-rich spring water, resulting in a clean, balanced expression with a soft texture. That same rye base becomes the foundation for our gins, where carefully selected botanicals are layered to create depth without overpowering the spirit.
Maturation
Our aging process begins with carefully crafted barrels made in partnership with Speyside Cooperage, using fully matured American white oak that is seasoned longer than average, then toasted and charred to bring out the best in our whiskey. Once filled, the barrels are aged across our historic warehouses and additional sites in Versailles and Nicholasville, Kentucky, where slightly different climates help develop depth and character over time. As our spirits mature, we monitor them patiently, allowing each one to age until it reaches its minimum age statement.
Blending/Proofing
Every batch of our whiskey is made with the intention of showcasing balance, complexity, and quality rather than chasing a single flavor profile. That philosophy carries through to our proofing process, with each batch bottled at the ABV that best suits that specific vintage. Every bottle reflects this approach, clearly labeled with its year of bottling and batch to honor the individuality of each release.
Find Your Perfect Pour
Taste the difference that patience and craft can make in every sip.
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