Frank August Small Batch Bourbon Review | 2025 World's Best Bourbon | The Liquor Connoisseur

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKiUstqArtY

The 2025 World's Best Bourbon

Frank August Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon was named the World's Best Bourbon at the 2025 IWSC (International Wine and Spirits Competition) Awards. On this episode of The Liquor Connoisseur, Crystal and Roger pull this bottle out of The Liquor Library on a recommendation from one of their favorite local store owners (the Wine Barrel) and confirm what the IWSC judges saw: this is a layered, fruit-forward, high-rye Kentucky bourbon that absolutely earns the title.

About Frank August

Co-founded by Johnson Crocker, Frank August is sourced in Kentucky and bottled at the brand's facility in Bardstown. Each small-batch release blends 10 to 15 hand-selected barrels — the team chooses what they like and assembles the flavor profile. Bottled at 100 proof. No chill filtration: the natural fats and oils stay in the bottle, and you can see the "glitter" at the bottom that gives this its visual signature. Roger called the visible fat "whiskey and glitter coming from the barrels." That's the cleanest description of non-chill-filtered bourbon you'll find.

Kentucky Straight Bourbon — A Quick Note

Bourbon can be made anywhere in America with a 51%-corn mash bill. Kentucky Straight Bourbon must be made in Kentucky and meet stricter aging requirements (typically aged at least one to two years longer than the federal minimum). The Kentucky in the name is a designation worth understanding — it's a quality marker, not just a regional flag.

Tasting Notes — Nose, Palate, Finish

Nose: Loud and inviting. Fruit-forward, with honey and toffee underneath. A borderline-orange note shows up that points to high-rye character. Almost zero ethanol push despite the 100 proof — the spirit drinks well below its ABV on the nose.

Palate: Smooth, fruit-driven, with rye spice arriving cleanly. Crystal got apple (the classic high-rye note) and a faint mint underneath. The Kentucky hug is present — that warm chest-hit that doesn't burn — and the spirit opens up beautifully across multiple sips. Toffee, caramel, and honey carry through. Roger flagged this as definitely north of 25% rye in the mash bill.

Finish: Medium-length, smooth, with the rye spice fading slowly. The non-chill-filtered fats give the spirit a creamy mouthfeel that you don't get in chill-filtered bourbons at this price tier. Vanilla and barrel notes round out the finish.

Glassware Tip

Crystal and Roger tasted this neat in a Glencairn — the right glass for any 100-proof bourbon you actually want to nose. The tulip shape pulls the fruit and toffee aromatics forward where you can pull them apart from the rye spice. A copita or NEAT glass works as backup.

Price & Value

$70 a bottle at the time of tasting. Crystal flagged that the price will likely climb 15-20% now that the IWSC win is public — if you find this at MSRP, buy now. For a 100-proof, non-chill-filtered, Kentucky Straight Bourbon with the World's Best Bourbon designation behind it, the value is significant.

LC Verdict

Complexity: Intermediate. The high-rye mash bill and 100 proof keep this from being a true beginner pour, but the smoothness and fruit-forward profile make it accessible to confident newer drinkers. Experienced palates will appreciate the small-batch blending precision and the visible non-chill-filtered detail.

Gift-worthiness: 10 out of 10. World's Best Bourbon 2025 is a phrase that sells itself; the bottle presentation (real cork, fingerprint-magnet metal cap, clean Frank August label) carries weight; and the price tier is gift-friendly. For the bourbon collector friend, this is the easiest yes of the year.

Final word: Pour it neat. Watch the fat dance at the bottom of the bottle. Sip more than once — the rye spice and the fruit notes both deepen on the second pour. And if you find Frank August's rye or any of their experimental cask finishes (per the brand, those are a real focus), grab those too. The team is clearly doing serious work.