Town Branch Distillery is kicking off Bourbon Heritage Month (September) with its limited-edition bourbon built on a 50% wheated bourbon foundation, bottled at Cask Strength (115.1 Proof), non-chill-filtered, and offered at an SRP of $119.99. 

“This is the best of the best for us, and we only have so much to share. Once it’s gone, it’s gone, so if you see a bottle, grab it,” Dave Bob Gaspar, Head Distiller & Blender at Town Branch Distillery, said in a news release.

Town Branch IMPERIUM MMXXVI Kentucky Straight Bourbon – Cask Strength (115.1 Proof) Imperium MMXXVI Bourbon marks the third annual release of this highly anticipated series. As per the bourbons DNA, this year’s edition draws from Town Branch’s most exclusive “Imperium Bourbon Stocks,” which include only the finest barrels from all three of the distillery’s bourbon mash bills:

• Pot-still Kentucky Bourbon: 72% corn / 15% rye / 13% malted barley
• Column-still Kentucky Bourbon: 72% corn / 15% rye / 13% malted barley
• Column-still Wheated Bourbon: 70% corn / 22% wheat / 8% malted barley

Each barrel pulled from the rickhouse and arriving at production is evaluated for its highest purpose — base blending, single-barrel program or Imperium stocks. The tasting of these barrels is like a continuous tryout, much like an athlete re-earning a place on the team each season. 

The 2026 release begins with a 50% wheated bourbon base, then marries it with 50% of Town Branch’s other bourbon stocks to create a distinctive hybrid bourbon profile unlike any other bottling from the distillery. Bottled at cask strength (115.1 proof), Imperium MMXXVI delivers depth and power while allowing the wheated bourbon to shine. Eight carefully selected barrels, ranging in age from 6 to more than 9 years, comprise this year’s blend following extensive tasting and test blends designed to explore a range of profiles and flavor notes. T

he result is a bold, complex bourbon that once again helps crown Bourbon Heritage Month, reflecting Town Branch’s commitment to exceptional bourbon-making and its passion for all things bourbon and bourbon-inspired at the distillery. If you’re lucky enough to find a bottle, raise a glass to Bourbon Heritage Month—and to many more Imperium releases to come.

If you’re eager to taste this whiskey, the distillery will offer a custom tasting flight featuring a vertical of the MMXXV and MMXXVI releases throughout Bourbon Heritage Month, including a bottle signing with Gaspar on Friday, September 4, from noon–4 p.m. EST at Town Branch Distillery. 

The distillery team will also be pouring Imperium Bourbon at the upcoming 2026 Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown from Friday through Sunday, September 11–13. 

Read more: Town Branch Releases 6-Year Wheated Bourbon

About Town Branch Distillery

Located in Lexington, Kentucky, Town Branch Distillery is notable as the first new distillery to open in the city since Prohibition. It is part of Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co., the only brewery and distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. For more details, visit www.lexingtonbrewingco.com.