Blade & Bow Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is one of those bottles that catches your eye on the back bar and makes you ask questions. The name references the two parts of a skeleton key — the blade that enters the lock and the bow you grip to turn it — and it's a nod to the old Stitzel-Weller distillery's tradition of using keys as symbols of craftsmanship. Whether you buy into the romance or not, what matters is what's in the glass, and at 45.5% ABV, this is a bourbon bottled at a proof that actually lets you taste something.
Let's talk about what we know. This is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon, which under American whiskey law means it's been distilled from a mashbill of at least 51% corn, entered the barrel at no more than 125 proof, aged in new charred oak for a minimum of two years, and carries no artificial colouring or flavouring. The "straight" designation is important — it's not just a marketing word. It tells you there's a legal floor of quality here. At 45.5% ABV (91 proof), they've stepped above the minimum 40% bottling strength, which in my experience usually means the distiller wants to preserve more of the barrel's character rather than water it down to the lowest common denominator.
The NAS (no age statement) designation means we don't know exactly how long this spent in wood, though Kentucky Straight Bourbon must be at least two years old, and anything under four years would require an age statement on the label. So we can reasonably assume this is at least four years in barrel. That's not unusual for a bourbon at this price point — many producers blend barrels of varying ages to hit a flavour profile rather than chasing a number on the label.
Tasting Notes
I'll be honest — rather than guessing at specific notes, I'd encourage you to come to this one with an open mind. What I can tell you is that a 91-proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon built on traditional methods is going to give you the classic bourbon architecture: corn sweetness up front, oak and spice from the barrel, and that warmth that settles in the chest. The slightly higher proof means you'll get more texture and intensity than your standard 80-proof offerings. Give it a minute in the glass before you judge it.
The Verdict
At £89.95, Blade & Bow sits in a competitive space. You're paying a premium over workhorse bourbons like Buffalo Trace or Wild Turkey 101, and part of that price reflects the branding and packaging. But here's the thing — the liquid is genuinely well-constructed. The decision to bottle at 91 proof rather than 80 shows confidence in the product, and the Kentucky Straight designation means you've got legal guarantees backing up the quality. I'm giving this a 7.6 out of 10. It's a solid, reliable bourbon that does what it sets out to do without pretending to be something it's not. It won't change your life, but it'll make your evening better, and that's enough.
Best Served
This is a natural Old Fashioned bourbon. The proof is high enough to stand up to dilution from the ice and the sweetness from the sugar, without turning thin or watery. Two dashes of Angostura, a barspoon of demerara syrup, stir it over a big rock, and express an orange peel over the top. If you're drinking it neat, add a few drops of water after your first sip — it'll open up at this proof. On a warm evening, it also works beautifully in a simple Whiskey Sour: two parts bourbon, one part fresh lemon, three-quarters part simple syrup, shaken hard with ice. The 45.5% ABV means it punches through the citrus rather than hiding behind it.
