Cream of Kentucky is an old bourbon name brought back by Jim Rutledge, who spent decades as master distiller at Four Roses before going out on his own. It isn't a household brand, and it isn't easy to find. What it is, at its best, is a big, full-proof Kentucky bourbon from someone with a long record of making good ones. This page carries the cask strength bottle, our own barrel selection, and the pairings that put it alongside E.H. Taylor and Buffalo Trace. We ship to most states, with an adult 21 or older required to sign at delivery.
Why It's Worth Knowing
Most bourbon on the shelf comes from a handful of very large distilleries. Cream of Kentucky comes from the other side of the industry: a single distiller with a reputation, releasing bourbon in small quantities under a revived historic label. That's not automatically a mark of quality, and small production can mean inconsistency from one release to the next. But Rutledge's name carries real weight among people who follow bourbon, and that's the reason this bottle moves when it's available.
The honest expectation is a rich, high-proof bourbon with a lot of character, priced like the small release it is. If you want something easy and familiar, a standard Buffalo Trace or a Four Roses will serve you better. If you want something you're less likely to find on a friend's shelf, this is it.
Cask Strength
The Cream of Kentucky Cask Strength is bottled without water added to bring the proof down, so it comes out at whatever strength it left the barrel. Expect dark caramel, baking spice and toasted oak, and expect heat. A few drops of water open it up considerably, and the right way to drink it is to start neat and adjust from there. For more bottles in the same style, see barrel proof bourbon.
We also selected our own barrel. The Cream of Kentucky x TLB Cask Strength is a single barrel we tasted and bought ourselves, which means the bourbon in it doesn't exist anywhere else. If you're choosing between the two at the same price, the store pick is the more distinctive bottle, and it's the one we'd point you to. More of our barrel selections are in store picks.
Why It's Paired With E.H. Taylor
You'll notice most of this page is bundles. The E.H. Taylor Small Batch and E.H. Taylor Single Barrel pairings, and the Buffalo Trace pairing, all put Cream of Kentucky next to a Buffalo Trace bottle. That's because E.H. Taylor is allocated, released to retailers in fixed quantities, and pairing is how most of it reaches shelves.
The way to judge a bundle is to ask whether you'd buy both bottles anyway. If you want the E.H. Taylor and you're curious about Cream of Kentucky, the pairing gets you both and makes for a good side-by-side: a big-name Frankfort bourbon against a small-release one. If you only want one of them, compare the bundle price against what the other bottle would cost you on its own. More pairings like these are in bundles.
If You Like Cream of Kentucky
A few places to go next. Rutledge spent most of his career at Four Roses, and its single barrel and small batch bottles are the closest thing to a family resemblance on the regular shelf. If it's the full-proof style you're after, E.H. Taylor's Barrel Proof and the other uncut bourbons in our barrel proof collection deliver the same intensity. And if you liked tasting a single barrel that nobody else has, our store picks are built on exactly that idea, with new barrels arriving through the year.
Cream of Kentucky FAQ
Who makes Cream of Kentucky bourbon?
Cream of Kentucky was revived by Jim Rutledge, the former longtime master distiller at Four Roses, under his J.W. Rutledge label.
What does cask strength mean?
The bourbon is bottled at the proof it came out of the barrel, with no water added. That makes it stronger and more concentrated than standard bourbon.
What's the difference between the two Cask Strength bottles?
One is the standard release. The other is a single barrel we selected ourselves, so its flavor is specific to that barrel and won't be found anywhere else.
Why is Cream of Kentucky sold in bundles?
It's mostly paired with E.H. Taylor and Buffalo Trace bottles. E.H. Taylor is allocated, and pairings are how most allocated bottles reach retail shelves.
Should you add water to Cream of Kentucky Cask Strength?
Usually, yes. Taste it neat first, then add a few drops of water at a time. Dilution opens up flavors the high proof can mask.
Can bourbon be shipped to my state?
We ship to most U.S. states, typically within a few business days. Someone 21 or older has to sign at delivery. Availability is confirmed at checkout, since a handful of states restrict direct spirits shipments.