Kentucky Senator Bourbon

Kentucky Senator Bourbon serves up great Kentucky bourbon with a side of Kentucky history.

Distilled, aged and bottled in the Bluegrass State, each release is named for a U.S. Senator from Kentucky. Always bottled at the classic 107 proof, Kentucky Senator Bourbon is at least six years old, the length of a U.S. Senate term, with many of our releases clocking in with higher aging statements.

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Our Promise To You

Kentucky Senator Bourbon is marked by an authentic blending of history
and commitment to selling the finest Kentucky Bourbon whiskey.

Release #1 Alben W. Barkley

107 Proof • 1,320 Bottles<br>Aged 15 Years 78.5% Corn, 13% Rye, 8.5% Malted Barley 2021 Fred Minnick Top 100 Bourbon
2022 Ascot Awards Gold Winner

Like its namesake, Senator Alben W. Barkley, the first release of Kentucky Senator Bourbon is in a class by itself. It is a very small batch bourbon distilled, aged 15 years, and bottled in Kentucky.

Alben Barkley Release

Release #2 William J. DeBoe

107 Proof • ~1,300 Bottles • Aged 6 Years 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
2022 Ascot Awards Gold Winner

This limited-edition release has been aged six years, the same number of years that William J. DeBoe served in the U.S. Senate (1897 to 1903). Born in Crittenden County, William J. DeBoe carries the distinction of being the very first Republican from Kentucky to serve in the Senate. He was also a physician and lawyer who attended medical school at the University of Louisville. 

William J. DeBoe Release
 

Release #3 John G. Carlisle

107 Proof • ~1,200 Bottles • Aged 7 Years 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley 2022 Fred Minnick Top 100 Bourbon
2022 Ascot Awards Gold Winner

John Griffin Carlisle (1834–1910) was a leader of the Bourbon Democrats who fought for the passage of the very first piece of legislation to protect Americans from tainted whiskey. The successful Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2022, is part of John G. Carlisle’s legacy today.

John G. Carlisle Release
 

Release #4 John Sherman Cooper

107 Proof • ~1,000 Bottles • Aged 8 Years 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley 2023 Fred Minnick Top 100 Bourbon
2024 Ascot Awards Platinum Winner

John Sherman Cooper, Republican of Somerset in Pulaski County, served three non-consecutive, partial terms in the U.S. Senate before being elected to two full terms in 1960 and 1966.

 

Release #5 John Brown

107 Proof • ~1,000 Bottles • Aged 8 Years 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
2025 San Francisco Spirits Competition Double Gold 2025 ASCOT Awards Gold Winner 2025 John Barleycorn Awards Silver Winner

Known as an "Anti-Federalist" or Democratic-Republican supporter of Thomas Jefferson & James Madison, John Brown was Kentucky's first U.S. Senator. A Virginian who eventually settled in Franklin County, KY, he was the Congressman who represented the District of Kentucky & sponsored the bill making the Commonwealth the 15th state. He was elected to the Senate in 1792, serving until 1805. He twice served as President Pro tem of the U.S. Senate. He settled in Frankfort, where he built his home, Liberty Hall, now a famous historic site.

Release #6 John Edwards

107 Proof • ~1,000 Bottles • Aged 8 Years 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
2025 John Barleycorn Awards Double Gold Winner 2025 John Barleycorn Awards Double Gold Winner

John Edwards was elected Kentucky’s 2nd U.S. Senator on June 18, 1792, the same day John Brown became the first. Both were chosen by the state legislature. A native Virginian, Edwards settled in Bourbon County and left the Senate in 1795 to serve in Kentucky’s House and Senate. A Democratic-Republican like Jefferson and Madison, he is buried in Paris, Kentucky.

Louisiana
Release #1
Huey P. Long

107 Proof • ~1,000 Bottles • Aged 8 Years 78% Corn, 13% Rye, 9% Malted Barley
2025 John Barleycorn Awards Double Gold Winner

Bold, charismatic and unmistakably Louisiana, we honor the life and legacy of Huey P. Long, who paved nearly 10,000 miles of roads, built the nation's tallest state capitol and handed out free schoolbooks by the truckload.

Kentucky
Release #7
Jim Bunning

107 Proof • ~1,000 Bottles • Aged 8 Years 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley

Jim Bunning gave bourbon its official recognition as America's Native Spirit, and we're proud to honor that contribution, as well as his legacy as a Hall of Fame pitcher and Kentucky Senator.

This is the original Kentucky Senator bourbon logo discovered by the managers. It inspired them to revive the brand, refresh the look and add a new story to this old Double Springs Distillery brand.

Kentucky Senator gets a mention in
this history of Crigler & Crigler.

Alben Barkley Release

Managers' Biographies

The Kentucky Senator brand was originally distilled and bottled by Crigler & Crigler in Covington, Kentucky, then by Double Springs Distillers, Inc. in Bardstown. The brand revival is led by Andre Regard and Damon Thayer as they work to restore this vintage Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey to its glory days. Both men possess a unique background in Bourbon that they bring to the management team.

Andre Regard

Andre traces his Kentucky lineage back to the 1700’s, when Bourbon whiskey first began to be distilled. He is in fact a direct descendant of Basil Hayden and the founders of Old Grand-Dad Whiskey in Hobbs, Kentucky. Andre’s ancestors subsequently moved to Louisiana during the first Bourbon boom, making it safe to say that Andre’s love for Bourbon whiskey is quite literally in his blood.

A successful entrepreneur and equine attorney, Andre is known for choosing business ventures that tie closely to the land on which he lives. Andre originally hails from Louisiana where he and his brother run one of the largest business-to-business pecan companies in the country, Cane River Pecan Company. When Andre moved to Kentucky in 1999, he ran a respected thoroughbred breeding farm in Bourbon County. After ten years in the stables, Andre founded his equine law firm, Regard Law Group. His rootedness to the land and culture of a place makes Kentucky Senator a natural next step.

Andre served on the Kentucky Racing Health and Welfare Fund and he is one of the first members of KEEP – the Kentucky Equine Education Project. He is also past chair of the equine section of the Kentucky Bar Association and a committee leader for the American Bar Association.

Andre and his wife live on a historic property in Scott County where they raise their seven children. The property boasts a productive natural spring, which prompted Andre to open the Browns Mill Farm and Inn for those seeking a quiet retreat within the Kentucky landscape. On the off-chance that Andre is not busy with the bustle of the work week, you may find him hunting alligator back in Louisiana or sipping on some fine Bourbon whiskey.

Damon Thayer

A Kentucky Senator from 2003-2025, Damon spent years championing Bourbon at our state Capitol. Damon is only the eighth legislator ever to receive the 100 Proof Award – and he is the only senator to receive the award four times. The 100 Proof Award is presented by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association and it is the highest honor that the Bourbon industry gives to elected officials who promote and protect Kentucky’s home spirit. Recently, Damon was inducted into the well-respected Order of the Writ by The Fifteen – a founder’s council made up of 15 Bourbon barons and the KDA.

On September 16, 2025, in his first year of eligibility, Damon Thayer was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame for his efforts in passing 20 new laws releasing the power of the Bluegrass State bourbon industry during his 22-year in the state Senate.

A political powerhouse, Damon has received the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s MVP Award eight times for his razor-sharp focus on the growth of Kentucky businesses. He is also a two-time recipient of the Kentucky League of Cities’ Big Hitter Award for stepping up to the plate and achieving passage of legislation that will significantly impact Kentucky cities.

In 2013, Damon took on the mantle of Senate Majority Leader – a role that required him to act on behalf of the entire Republican majority on the Senate floor. He was known for being a constant workhorse for Kentucky voters and was selected as 23rd on a list of the 40 most influential people in the debate to decide the future of U.S. Pensions by Institutional Investor Magazine. After 22 years in the state Senate, Damon announced he would not be running for re-election in 2024 so that he could devote more time to the bourbon business.

In his spare time, Damon owns and operates Thayer Communications & Consulting LLC and Half Century Equine Ventures LLC, which acquires interests in racehorse partnerships. His horses race at all Kentucky racetracks, plus tracks in California, Illinois, Florida, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio. In 2020, one filly even competed at the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting in England.

With such strong Kentucky roots and a personal penchant for the finest Kentucky Bourbon, it was only a matter of time until Damon undertook his own venture into Kentucky’s signature Bourbon industry.

Videos

Kentucky Senator Bourbon is marked by an authentic blending of history and commitment to selling the finest Kentucky Bourbon whiskey.

latest News

[Fred Minnick Review on Jim Bunning Release]

April 29, 2026

A standout moment for Kentucky Senator Bourbon-Fred Minnick awarded the latest release an impressive 92 points, highlighting notes of molasses, brown sugar, and a savory, pie crust-like richness with a touch of honey on the finish.


[Everyday Kentucky with Kentucky Senator Bourbon]

April 29, 2026

Kentucky Senator Bourbon co-founder Damon Thayer joined WKYT’s Everyday Kentucky to spotlight the brand’s newest release, Jim Bunning, sharing the story behind the blend and the continued momentum of Kentucky Senator Bourbon.


The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund, Kentucky Senator Bourbon Announce Limited Single Barrel Release

April 16, 2026


Kentucky Senator Bourbon Unveils Seventh Small Batch Release Honoring Baseball Hall of Famer and U.S. Senator Jim Bunning

March 9, 2026