Town Branch Unveils Imperium MMXXVI: A 115.1-Proof Marriage of Wheated and Traditional Bourbon

Town Branch Distillery — the Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. operation that was the first new distillery built in Lexington after Prohibition and the seventh to join the Kentucky Bourbon Trail — has unveiled the third edition of its Imperium series in time for Bourbon Heritage Month: Imperium MMXXVI.

The specs: 115.1 proof, cask-strength, non-chill-filtered Kentucky straight bourbon, blended from eight barrels ranging from 6 to over 9 years old. The recipe is a 50/50 marriage of wheated bourbon (70% corn, 22% wheat, 8% malted barley) and a traditional bourbon (72% corn, 15% rye, 13% malted barley). MSRP is $119.99 per 750ml.

During Heritage Month, the distillery is pouring a vertical tasting of MMXXV and MMXXVI, and the release will pour at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival September 11–13. Distribution beyond the distillery is limited to select markets — and the head distiller's advice for anyone who finds a bottle: "We only have so much to share… if you see a bottle, grab it!"

With the vertical tasting at the distillery and pours at the Festival, there are ways to try the series before buying — but when a head distiller tells you to grab the bottle, the shelf life is probably shorter than you think.