KO Distillery in Manassas unveils its first bottle of bonded bourbon

KO Distilling, the Manassas-based producer known for its smooth-tasting bourbon, released its first bottle of bonded bourbon.

KO’s Distiller’s Reserve Bottled in Bond, a four-year-old, 100-proof bourbon whiskey kept in wooden barrels made from charred American White Oak. The whiskey itself is distilled from Virginia grown grains, including 70% corn, 20% wheat, and 10% malted barley.

Distiller’s Reserve is the second bonded straight bourbon whiskey made in Virginia. The first was released in November 2019 by Ragged Branch, a Charlottesville-based distiller that opened its doors in July 2014. Ragged Branch Rye Whiskey Barrel 77 is also a four-year, 100 proof bourbon that sells for $57 and premieres at the Mount Vernon Whiskey Festival in November 2019.

Distiller’s Reserve will distinguish being the first Virginia-made bonded bourbon to be widely available in Virginia ABC stores. A 750-milliliter bottle will sell for $80, a mid-level price for such a considerably high-quality bottle of bourbon, the distillers say.

The most expensive Virginia bottle made whiskey is George Washington’s Straight Two-year rye whiskey, which is bottled at Mount Vernon and costs $189 for a 375-milliliter bottle.

According to Paste Magazine, bourbon must follow certain requirements to be considered bottled in bond. First, the whiskey must be produced in the U.S. during a single distillation season at a single distillery. Second, the whiskey must be aged in a federally bonded warehouse under U.S. government supervision for a minimum of four years. Third, the spirit must be 50% alcohol, which is considered 100 proof whiskey. Finally, the label must identify the distiller of origin and if in a different place where the whiskey was bottled.

“We are thrilled to present our first bonded whiskey, many of the distillers in our area are pretty young, but we’ve been around for five years, which allowed us to be the first to come out with our own bonded bourbon,” stated KO’s sales and marketing manager Pat Flannery.

KO Distilling is a craft distiller that was founded by Bill Karlson and John O’Mara back in 2015. Both men were cadets at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and served in the Navy Reserves.

KO produced their first aged spirit, Bare Knuckle American Whiskey, in November 2016. The distillery is located at 10381 Central Park Drive in Manassas, just off Godwin Drive.