15 Stars Debuts A New, Permanent Expression

Since releasing its first whiskey in 2022, Kentucky-based 15 Stars has distinguished itself as one of the country’s more notable blending houses. Thus far, we’ve reviewed eight of its whiskeys: one scored 90 points, and the others were all at 91 points or higher. The company, which was founded in 2019 by the father-son team of Rick and Ricky Johnson, has been best known for its limited-edition blends that typically include various combinations of aged whiskeys sourced from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana.

The Johnsons took an interesting route into the whiskey business. Their background is in the popcorn industry, where they came to know a variety of heirloom corn strains—including the red, white, and blue corn, as well as the rare black variety, among others. The original idea was to make bourbon using those heirloom strains, and five years ago they started doing that in a custom distilling program with Bardstown Bourbon Co. Thus far, 15 Stars has worked with seven separate heritage corn bourbon mashbills, along with several others using non-heritage grains. These own-make whiskeys now account for about two-thirds of their inventory.

To pay the bills while those whiskeys mature, the company has been releasing those ultra-aged sourced expressions. An initial ready date for the own-make had been set for next year, but that’s been moved up to this year. “We’ve been lucky that our red, white, and blue corn bourbon has matured so well in its 5 years of aging,” said Rick Johnson. “It came along a little faster than we thought it might, and that may be due to the lower barrel entry proof of 103.”

That whiskey is making its debut as a minority portion of a new, permanent brand called First West, which is designed to be more approachable than the older 15 Stars releases and will be available nationwide and at a lower price point. First West is being launched with these three bourbons:

First West Small Batch

ABV: 51%,
SRP: $60
Availability: Nationwide

A blend of three bourbons aged for 7, 6, and 5 years, with the youngest (and smallest) component being own-make from a mashbill of heirloom red, white, and blue corn. “The red, white, and blue corn produces a sweet profile that brings depth and complexity, while the low barrel entry proof [51.5% ABV] allows barrel flavors to influence those grains and make a rich and elegant whiskey,” says Rick Johnson.

First West Toasted Oak

ABV: 49%
SRP: $70
Availability: Nationwide

As the name suggests, this one is finished in toasted barrels. It comprises a mix of 7, 6, and 5 year old bourbons first blended, then divided and separately finished in one of two different toasted barrels. After a 5-week finish, the liquid was blended back together. While the finish is the main attraction, the base blend differs slightly from Small Batch. The 5 and 7 year old components are the same as Small Batch—albeit blended at different ratios—while the 6 year old is different.

First West Extra Aged

ABV: 50%
SRP: $80
Availability: Nationwide

This expression leads with its 8 year age statement, and is a blend of an 8 and a 9 year old bourbon. It’s the only expression of these three bourbons that doesn’t include the Johnsons' own-make distillate, as both components are sourced from an undisclosed Kentucky distillery.

The forward plan is for First West to include more of the brand’s own liquid in future releases. Small Batch and Toasted Oak are expected to be 100% own-liquid over the next couple of years, while Extra Aged will follow further down the line.

Fun Facts

Fun Fact 1: First West’s curious name is a nod to the brand’s home state of Kentucky, which holds the distinction of being the first U.S. state west of the Appalachian Mountains. (The 15 Stars name itself is also a historical reference, a nod to Kentucky being the 15th state admitted into the Union.)

Fun fact 2: Back in 2023, 15 Stars launched its first-ever rye whiskey, which bore the name First West. The following year, a second batch called First West SSDD (meaning Same Spirit, Different Day) was briefly released. Then came a third bottling called “First West,” a bourbon instead of a rye. But the idea wasn’t continued until now, and now they’re made differently—using the company’s own-make, and including Kentucky distillate only.