Old Commonwealth Distillery Relaunches Colonel Randolph 16 Year Bourbon as a Single Barrel, Selected by Gordon Hue

Previously a Japan-only brand 35 years ago, this limited-release expression returns to American retailers in February.

LAWRENCEBURG, Ky., Jan. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The third ultra-premium expression from Old Commonwealth Distillery is Colonel Randolph 16-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon. This single barrel offering was personally selected by Gordon Hue, the industry luminary responsible for reviving the Colonel Randolph brand in 1990. At 106 proof, this 16-year whiskey—made with the exact mashbill as Hue's release—shines brightly, with a depth and flavor profile that emulates and encapsulates vintage whiskey.

The Fascinating History of Colonel Randolph Bourbon

Back in the late Eighties, overseeing an Ohio spirits and wine retail chain, Hue was working to sell a huge parcel of barrels he had acquired from a Pennsylvania distillery. Hue tapped Julian Van Winkle III to bottle those 766 barrels, the majority of which came to the market under the now legendary A.H. Hirsch label. (These were all bottled at the facility that is now Old Commonwealth Distillery.)

"Bourbon wasn't selling in America," Hue recalls, "but the Japanese loved it. They kept ordering 300 cases of 12-packs." After buying countless cases of A.H. Hirsch, the importer, Nishimoto Trading, asked Hue for alternative labels. "A.H. Hirsch had exclusive and high-end positioning in a Tokyo department store called Mitsukoshi," says Hue. "There was another department store across the street, and Nishimoto wanted to sell it bourbon without diluting the Hirsch brand. The caveat: they wanted a brand already in existence."

In 1990, the Japanese had enormous four-color catalogs of American whiskey brands that were "thicker than phone books," Hue laughs. "These were 400 pages and had bottle shots galore. I hadn't heard of half of these brands." Flipping through this encyclopedia of bourbon, Hue came across a brand he did recognize: Colonel Randolph. "It was a Chicago label that was registered to a liquor distributor I knew: the Leavitt family," says Hue. After calling, Hue was pleasantly surprised to hear that the family wasn't interested in the label: "I was told I could just have it; even the label design." That was vital to the Japanese, who Hue describes as meticulous about copying the original.

For Colonel Randolph 16 Year, Hue instructed Van Winkle III to use the same Pennsylvania whiskey employed in A.H. Hirsch, though the proof was left at 116. (A.H. Hirsch proofs vary, but hover in the low- to mid-90s.)  The back of the bottle was in Japanese; no bottles were made for the American market. Three shipments of Hue's Colonel Randolph 16 were sent to Japan—"It was a tiny quantity, a little more than 50 cases," Hue says—before the Japanese economy crashed in 1991, and demand dried up.

Old Commonwealth's 2025 Colonel Randolph 16 Year

"Our mission is to revive old brands as premium whiskey so you can drink history," says Zachary Joseph, president of operations for Old Commonwealth Distillery. "Colonel Randolph is perfect for our growing portfolio, and we were thrilled when Gordon agreed to partner with us on this single barrel."

While searching for befitting 16-year Kentucky straight bourbon, Joseph and the operations team came across a small cadre of barrels made by a renowned heritage distiller that were too exquisite to pass up. "When we learned the mashbill was identical to Colonel Randolph, we knew this was fate," says Joseph.

Hue blindly tasted each barrel, at a variety of proofs, before selecting one as the 2025 release. "This whiskey has it all: sweet notes, caramel up front, toffee in the middle, and tremendous length without being overly sweet," Hue says, adding the finish goes on "for minutes." At the end of the selection session, Hue had a final blind tasting: 2025 Colonel Randolph 16 and A.H. Hirsch 16 Year, from Hue's original Pennsylvania barrels.

Hue's preference? Colonel Randolph 16.

"Now, I'm jazzed," Hue smiles, holding up the dram. "It's so well integrated, and a more complete whiskey all around. The Hirsch is very linear, while the Colonel Randolph blossoms and keeps expanding. This is damn good stuff."

Colonel Randolph 16 Year // Tasting Notes

Nose: Rich tannins, charred oak, cinnamon, honey, dusty brown sugar, toffee, coffee cake, almond butter, and vanilla.

Palate: Baking chocolate, cherry syrup, candied peaches, and pecan pie. It's got an exceptional mouthfeel, and decent heft to the liquid that's pleasing as it coats your mouth. It's softer than you may assume, given the alcohol on the nose.

Finish: Dark chocolate note that is extensive, finally trailing off with a light hit of maraschino cherry at the very end. There's enough sweetness to be pleasing, but it never becomes cloying.

Colonel Randolph 16 Year // Overview
Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
Distiller: Undisclosed
Age: 16 years
Proof: 106
Mashbill: 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley
SRP: $349
Release date: Online OC VIP sale begins February 6, 2025, at 11AM EST. To become an OC VIP, sign up on Old Commonwealth's website: https://oldcommonwealth.com/pages/waitlist.

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About Old Commonwealth Distillery
Originally built in 1889, in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, the Old Commonwealth Distillery has been home to Hoffman Distillery, Ezra Brooks, and Commonwealth Distilling over the past 135 years. In 2019, it was purchased by Zachary Joseph and Andrew English, a nephew and uncle who bonded over the distillery's history and its venerable products. Along with family friend and partner Troy LeBlanc, the trio are reviving iconic labels once produced there, and preserving the facility's heritage through immersive tour experiences.

SOURCE Old Commonwealth Distillery