J.W. Rutledge Cream of Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

Thanks to a longstanding friendship I have with legendary Master Distiller Jim Rutledge, I’ve managed to secure a small allocation of his recent uber-limited release of 2024 Cream of Kentucky Small Batch before it hits a broader market. When I say small, I mean tiny – there are only 15 six-packs allocated to the entire state of New Jersey, and I’ve got my hands on most of them.

For those who don’t know the story (and trust me, you want to know this story), Cream of Kentucky isn’t just another bourbon brand. Born in 1888, this historic label was so prestigious that Norman Rockwell himself created the artwork for their bottles back in the 1930s and 40s.

Incredibly, the legend behind Four Roses, Jim Rutledge decided to leave and start his own company and while doing so, he purchased the Cream of Kentucky brand. After searching long and hard for barrels with special juice in them, he found this sleeping giant. He decided the barrels needed to be made under the iconic branding, crafting a “double-rich” bourbon that honors its pre-Prohibition legacy while setting new standards for modern craft distilling.