Peerless Henry Kraver Old Reserve 10 Year Old Bourbon

Barrel proof. Never sourced. Never chill-filtered. Strictly sweet mash. No water added. The first official age-statement release from Kentucky Peerless — honoring Henry Kraver, who began crafting Peerless whiskey in 1889.

Kentucky Peerless Distilling was founded by Henry Kraver in 1889 under DSP-KY-50 — one of the oldest distillery serial numbers in Kentucky. After Prohibition shuttered the operation, the 4th- and 5th-generation descendants of Kraver revived the brand and returned to production in 2015, operating under the same DSP-KY-50 that Kraver used in the 1800s. The Henry Kraver Old Reserve 10 Year is not only Peerless's first official age-statement bourbon — it marks exactly 10 years of whiskey aging since the family relaunched the distillery. Every drop is grain-to-bottle at their Louisville facility. Nothing sourced. Nothing compromised.

The production philosophy is uncompromising: strict sweet mash (no sour mash backset), barrel proof with no water added, never chill-filtered. The result is a 10-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon that expresses the full character of the barrel at natural strength — the mocha, toffee, and tobacco complexity of extended maturation with the mouthfeel and aromatic intensity that filtration would reduce.

Tasting Notes — Batch 1

• Nose: Sweet smoldering pipe tobacco, candied peanuts, almond extract, French vanilla ice cream, roasted vanilla bean, soft port wine and ripe grapes, bread pudding, buttered French toast, and a warm applewood sweetness.
• Palate: Burnt brownie edges, mocha coffee, deep toffee, and bright candied orange peel. Jammy pear, apple, and cranberry add lift. Sweet clove spice, graham crackers with natural peanut butter, and a sticky marshmallow-like texture coat the mouth.
• Finish: Rustic and mature — tobacco barn, sweet pipe tobacco, and charred applewood, with a lingering vintage funk that speaks to well-aged Kentucky bourbon.

Specs

• Distillery: Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co., Louisville, Kentucky (DSP-KY-50, est. 1889)
• Style: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Age: 10 years
• Mash: Strict sweet mash
• Bottling: Barrel proof, no water added, never chill-filtered
• Release: Henry Kraver Old Reserve — first age-statement Peerless bourbon
• Size: 750ml

Browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the significance of DSP-KY-50? The Distilled Spirits Plant number DSP-KY-50 is one of the oldest distillery permit numbers in Kentucky, originally issued to Henry Kraver when he founded Peerless in 1889. After Prohibition and decades of dormancy, the Kraver family's descendants revived the brand in 2015 and still operate under the same DSP number — maintaining a direct legal and operational continuity with Kraver's original enterprise.
• What is sweet mash and how does it differ from sour mash? Sour mash — used by the vast majority of American bourbon producers — adds a portion of the previous batch's spent grain (backset) to the new fermentation for pH control and consistency. Sweet mash uses only fresh grain, water, and yeast — no backset. The result is a different fermentation character and flavor profile that Peerless considers essential to their house style.
• Why barrel proof and never chill-filtered? Adding water lowers proof but also dilutes the flavors and mouthfeel that a decade of barrel aging produced. Chill filtration removes the fatty acids and esters that contribute to texture and complexity. Peerless bottles the 10 Year exactly as it comes from the barrel — nothing added, nothing removed.
• Is this the first 10-year-old bourbon from Peerless? Yes — the Henry Kraver Old Reserve 10 Year is Peerless's first official age-statement release and marks the 10th anniversary of their grain-to-bottle revival production. Previous Peerless releases were non-age-statement; this is the first expression documenting a full decade of aging from the revived distillery.