Rare Perfection 10 Year Vintage 2016 Private Single Barrel Bourbon 128 PROOF

Rare Perfection 10 Year Vintage 2016 Private Single Barrel Bourbon, Barrel #92, 128 Proof is one cask-strength barrel from Preservation Distillery's revived Rare Perfection label, and only 132 bottles exist. It is for the bourbon collector who chases single-barrel picks rather than batched releases.

Process & Profile

Rare Perfection is one of the brands Marci Palatella built in the late 1980s and 1990s, when she was moving aged Kentucky whiskey to Japan while American drinkers ignored it. That same palate now runs Preservation Distillery, which she founded on a former tobacco farm in Bardstown in 2015. This barrel is Kentucky-sourced bourbon distilled in 2016 from a traditional corn, rye, and malted barley mash bill; the producer does not publish the source distillery or mash bill percentages. It aged 10 years and was bottled unfiltered at full cask strength, 64.0% ABV (128 proof). It was selected as a private barrel for Keg N Bottle.

On the nose, expect deep caramel, old oak, vanilla bean, brown sugar, and a peppery rye edge.

On the palate, the proof carries dark toffee, baked cherry, leather, cinnamon bark, and toasted pecan, with the rye keeping the sweetness in check.

The finish is long and warm, with drying oak tannin and lingering spiced caramel.

The standard 2026 Rare Perfection 10 Year is blended from micro-batches of one to three barrels, picked by Palatella and Master of Maturation Kyle Lloyd. This bottling skips the blend entirely. Barrel #92 carries its own proof, color, and oak balance, and once its 132 bottles are gone, it will not be made again.

Serve neat first, then add a few drops of water to calm the 128 proof and bring out the fruit. Try it with a slice of pecan pie.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this whisky?
A 10-year-old, cask-strength, single-barrel Kentucky bourbon from Preservation Distillery's Rare Perfection line.

What are the specs?
Vintage 2016, 10 years old, Barrel #92, 64.0% ABV (128 proof), unfiltered, 132 bottles, 750mL.

What does it taste like?
Caramel and old oak on the nose, dark toffee, cherry, and rye spice on the palate, and a long, oak-dry finish.

How should you enjoy it?
Neat in a Glencairn, adding water a drop at a time.

Why is this release notable?
It is a single 2016-vintage barrel bottled at full proof, and only 132 bottles were produced.