Pure Kentucky XO Vs. Baker’s Single Barrel

We’re starting the week out with what I think is a very underrated value bottle, and putting it up against another 107 proof bottle I think is over-priced!

Pure Kentucky is a small-batch Willett product that has drastically changed in the past year or so now that Willett is actually producing it instead of sourcing it.
Baker’s has changed a lot as well with the introduction of the Single Barrel product last year.

Fancy Glencairn is a fan of that fancy Baker’s bottle, let’s see if she can win today!

🥃 Pure Kentucky) “Batch 20-44”. $25, 107 proof. NAS.
-The Nose is dominated by cinnamon, oak, and fresh orchard peaches.
-The Palate is oily, and initially sweet with vanilla and juicy peach. Then cinnamon and some white pepper appears.
-The Finish is medium-long, with some allspice and cardamom joining in. That juicy peach lingers though!
⭐️Overall, this is completely different then I remember Pure Kentucky in the past, and I don’t think I’ve ever gotten so much juicy peach from a whiskey before. It’s a unique and delicious Cinnamon Peach Bomb!

🥃 Baker’s) $60, 8.5yrs old, 107 proof.
-The Nose starts with vanilla and baking spices, along with anise, and some dark cherry.
-The Palate is a little more oily, with notes of charred oak, vanilla, burnt caramel, cinnamon, and a smaller amount of that Beam peanut.
-The Finish is medium, with aged oak, black pepper, and some of that anise I got on the nose.
⭐️Overall this is lower proof Bookers with more black pepper spice and burnt caramel. I like it, but at this price point there are a lot of great options out there!

🏆VERDICT) Today is no contest. Pure Kentucky Batch 20-44 (see second photo) absolutely CRUSHES! I would pay $75 for this bottle. It’s so unique!
BUT my bottle of “batch 21-01” is NOT a peach bomb, there is some peach, but much more of the typical notes I expect. I would still prefer it over Baker’s though!
So, the moral of the story is if you can find this batch of Pure Kentucky, Buy It Now!
Oh, and Baker’s probably isn’t worth the price…

Fancy is sad.
What do you guys think of these!?