Frank August Small Batch Bourbon is one that would have completely passed me by based on the first time I caught sight of it. My wife pointed it to me and I saw an elegant but very plain bottle from a company I had never heard of that retailed for north of $70…I’m curious, but not so curious as to drop that kind of money on something completely unknown. Just a week or so later, the International Wine & Spirits Competition chose that exact same bourbon as the winner of the category for 2025.
So who is Frank August? Apparently it’s a person that doesn’t exist. The company was founded in 2022 by a former fashion executive, Johnathan Crocker. They are a non-distilling producer, procuring and blending bourbons from Kentucky distilleries. Their small batch is made up of 10 to 15 barrels from non-disclosed locations. We don’t know what the mash bill is. We do know from legal bottling requirements that it’s a 100 proof whiskey (50% ABV) and aged at least 4 years. Maybe I’ll find their HQ when I’m in Bardstown next time and knock on the door to ask some questions. It is interesting that their website extols the quality of “Frank. The state of being open, honest and sincere.” But they don’t actually tell much about the product they sell.
The bottle top/cork for this release is something else…it has some serious heft to it and I imagine you could cause some degree of injury by throwing it hard in the face of someone across the table from you, should they threaten you. The bottle is a thing of considerable beauty, too, in the same way that Davidoff’s bands are…simple, understated, and elegant…implying richness rather than screaming it,
The color of the Frank August Small Batch in the glass was a medium-amber…orange-red. I got notes of vanilla and citrus on the nose. Taking a sip, the front of the palate was very sweet…notes of brown sugar and dark fruit. Mid-palate I started to get some alcohol burn and spiciness and the finish seems long and lingering with plenty of spice, as well. It begins each sip feeling quite a bit below the 100 proof mark, but ends the sip with a higher-proof feeling because of the way it evolves. It is mostly sweet, with just a little earthiness, helping it feel more well-rounded.
Frank August Small Batch is an excellent bourbon…although I’m not entirely sure it lives up to the hype bestowed by its recent competition win. Still, it’s probably a good time to try it if it sounds like something you’d like…winning will probably make it harder to find and I wouldn’t doubt that liquor stores will jack the price up accordingly.
