Calumet Farm 15 Year Old Bourbon Bottle Review (2023)
Last Updated on December 29, 2022 by Lydia Martin
Calumet Farm 15-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon is a rare bottle sold by Western Spirits Beverage Company in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Thankfully, we could get ahold of one from the liquor aisle. Here’s our review on the 15-year-old bottle from Calumet Farm.
About Calumet Farm 15-Year-Old Bourbon
Calumet Farm 15-Year-Old Bourbon is part of the Pedigree line at Three Springs Bottling Company and is their oldest bottle. It is made with a corn-heavy mash bill.
It is a pretty strong whiskey at 105 proof, taken from a single, center-cut rack, which the brand refers to as “Single Rack Black.”
Did You Know?
Brief History
Calumet Farm started as an actual farm before they started their spirits label. It was established in 1924 in Lexington, Kentucky, as a thoroughbred breeding and training farm that housed a few notable horses. [1]
Since horseracing and bourbon went hand in hand in Kentucky, a whiskey was named after the farm shortly. The label was released in 2013.
Ownership
Western Spirits Beverage owns the brand. Other bourbon labels owned by the company are Sam Houston, Bird Dog, and Lexington.
Production Process
The 15-year-old bourbon does not come from a single barrel — instead, Calumet Farm batches single racks totaling 19 barrels. These barrels are aged in Bardstown for no less than 15 years.
The final spirit is non-chill filtered for added character and depth.
Mash Bill
The brand uses 74 percent corn, 18 percent rye, and 8 percent malted barley.
Tasting Notes
Palate
The 15-year aging period gives this whiskey plenty of spice, musty leather, and oak flavors. As the whiskey develops, more syrupy fruits come out.
Fruit-forward flavors like dark red fruit compote, cherries, and apricots mingle with roasted nuts and a touch of tobacco leaf. Its bite is also a little bit stronger than what you would expect.
Nose
It’s very buttery on the nose — we detected toffee, warm vanilla, and blondies. It also has a bit of oak, wood char, and peppery spice notes.
Appearance
It has a deep copper color.
Finish & Aftertaste
It has a long, slightly drying finish, with flavors of juicy raisins, dark chocolate, and scorched caramel sauce.
Price & Value
We have to say the bottle is pretty steep (around $120 per 750ml) for the quality. There is nothing wrong with the 15-year-old bourbon per se, but the average buyer will find that other bottles with a high proof offer more complexity at half the price.
We expect higher quality bourbon for the price, and this brand left us pretty disappointed.
What Is Sourced Bourbon?
It’s said that Calumet Farm sources their aged bourbons. A larger distillery (in this case, Barton) produces and ages the spirit for a new, smaller brand.
While we think there’s nothing wrong with using sourced generic bourbon — after all, those big players do know how to produce great bourbon — some purists might scoff and say that it’s mass-produced garbage.
Common Calumet Farm Price
| Type | Size | Alcohol By Volume | Average Price |
| Calumet Farm 15-Year-Old | 750ml | 52.5 | Around $120 |
Compared to Other Bourbons
Stellum Bourbon
Stellum is made from a blend of three Indiana bourbons. It’s a lot more savory on the palate, with fennel, rosemary, and thyme notes, unlike traditional Kentucky bourbons, which tend to be on the sweeter side.
Stellum costs around $50.
Blue Run Bourbon
It’s said that Blue Run sources their bourbons from Barton Distillery, but the brand has never actually confirmed it. Jim Rutledge, the brand’s “Liquid Advisor,” had done his magic on the bourbon inside to make it one of the best in the industry.
Blue Run 13-Year-Old costs around $170.
Yellowstone Bourbon
Yellowstone celebrates traditional Kentucky bourbon with its sweet and spicy profile. It uses a blend of four and seven-year-old bourbons.
The SRP for Yellowstone is around $50.
Read: Who’s Making Yelowstone Bourbon?
Popular Calumet Farm Cocktails
Letters and Speeches
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 2 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1.25 oz Calumet Farm
- 0.5 oz Fino sherry
- 0.5 oz maraschino liqueur
- 0.25 oz lemon juice
- Cherries on a skewer
Instructions:
Pour all the liquid ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well until chilled. Strain and pour into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with the skewered cherries.
Serving: 1
Wind Against Stone
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 2 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 oz Calumet Farm
- 0.5 oz VS cognac
- 0.5 oz Amaro
- 0.5 oz Oloroso sherry
- Orange peel
- Ice
Instructions:
Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir to combine. Strain and pour into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange peel.
Serving: 1
FAQs
Where is Calumet Farm Bourbon made?
Calumet Farm is a Western Spirits Beverage Company product in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It is said that the company sources its bourbons from a local distillery.
Can you drink Calumet Farm 15-Year-Old straight?
Yes, you can drink Calumet Farm 15-Year-Old straight! We advise sampling it straight first, so you’re familiarized with all the flavor nuances.
Final Thoughts
The Calumet Farm Bourbon is not bad — it’s just a bit underwhelming.
The 15-year-old label is good bourbon, but we were looking for something impressive. The nose is nice and buttery, rounded out with just enough sweetness and spice, which is inviting nonetheless.
However, we demand great bourbon with that price and could probably get a better bottle elsewhere.
Reference:
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/horseracing/2017/05/06/historic-calumet-farm-back-in-kentucky-derby-with-3-entrants/101363104/
Lydia Martin hails from Redmond, Washington, where you’ll find some of the best cocktail bars and distilleries that offer a great mix of local drinks. She used to work as a bar manager in Paris and is a self-taught mixologist whose passion for crafting unique cocktails led her to create Liquor Laboratory. Lydia can whip up a mean Margarita in seconds! Contact at [email protected] or learn more about us here.
