Bees Knees V is a double-oaked, toasted, honey-cask-finished bourbon from [Shortbarrel](https://shortbarrelbourbon.com/), an NDP based in Chamblee, GA. This single-barrel offering is a store pick from McFarland 400 in Alpharetta. 

**From the** [**Producer**](https://shortbarrelbourbon.com/bees-knees-v/)**:** Bees Knees isn’t just a finished bourbon—it’s a system. Every release is built with a single idea in mind: honey should reflect where the whiskey is going. Instead of sourcing one universal honey and scaling it across the country, we take the opposite approach. Each state release uses locally sourced honey from that region, creating a version of Bees Knees that’s tied directly to place. Florida tastes different than Georgia. Georgia tastes different than Tennessee. And that’s exactly the point. 

Most honey-finished bourbons aim for consistency. We don’t. Honey is one of the most terroir-driven ingredients in the world—its flavor is shaped by local flowers, climate, and seasonality. By sourcing honey from each state we release in, we’re not just finishing bourbon—we’re capturing a regional flavor profile inside the bottle.

Honey dominates the nose, and it won’t fade away. Deep notes of caramel, apples, pepper, and honey candies linger in the background. Mouth: Oh sweet honey, buttery popcorn, cinnamon spice, a “bit o honey” candy-like feel that keeps going, coating your mouth with a honey roasted cashew. Finish: Bring on the proof. The long, thick, rich, creamy, honey finish remains. The proof lets you know it’s there and wants you to come back for more without overpowering the vanilla, honey, and oak that permeate from the barrel-aging.

**Proof:** 107

**Age Statement:** 6 years

**Price:** $109.95

**Distillation:** Kentucky and Indiana

**Appearance:** Rich golden amber, like fresh dark honey. Very nice legs on the glass.

**Nose:** One of the best noses I’ve experienced. Rich, sweet honey dominates in the best way, with vanilla and some oak joining it there. There’s also a little ethanol, which is to be expected, but it’s not overpowering. Once empty, the glass smells absolutely divine – like a pot of freshest honey that’s just been brought in from the hive. 

**Palate:** Medium-thick viscosity, coating the mouth nicely in a way that feels almost like drinking honey straight from the jar. Interestingly, this isn’t what I’d call a particularly sweet whiskey. The honey from the nose does translate to the palate, but more as a supporting player than as a dominant note. There’s a good amount of spice that helps offset the honey flavor, as well, similar to the experience of eating cayenne-infused “hot honey.” Other flavors include caramel, vanilla, oak, and leather. There’s very little fruit present, but other flavors make this a fairly complex pour (for example, I think I see where the official tasting notes got “buttered popcorn” from). 

**Finish:** Warm and creamy with notes of honey (of course) along with caramel, oak, leather, and more spice. It’s not too short, and while it’s not too long either, there’s a nice combination of flavors here. It still doesn’t match the nose in sweetness, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The lingering flavor is, once again, rich honey.

**Thoughts:** It can be easy to look at a honey-finished bourbon and immediately think “dessert whiskey,” but that’s not what this is at all. At least part of that is intentional: Shortbarrel notes that their goal was to create a “bourbon that drinks like bourbon first — with honey acting as structure, not sugar.” 

I’d say that’s what they accomplished: the flavor is there, but in a nice, supportive way rather than as a flavor that’s fighting to take center stage. It’s complemented nicely by some serious spice, suggesting a high-rye mash bill. If you like hot honey, this is definitely for you. Standard bourbon flavors like oak, vanilla, and caramel are also there, providing depth and complexity to the pour. 

I initially tried this bottle of Bees Knees V a month or so ago, and I’m glad I waited for it to open up a bit before trying it again. While the nose was divine from the first crack, the flavors weren’t nearly as noticeable then, and the whiskey didn’t seem nearly as complex as it does now that it’s had a bit of time to oxidize. 

This is a very enjoyable whiskey, and while the price tag can be a bit off-putting, I do try to divorce perceived value, including cost and availability, from my final rating (we might call that the “Buffalo Trace rule”). Just on its quality and enjoyability, **I’ll rate this an easy 7** on the T8ke scale: it’s definitely “**Great – Well Above Average**.” If you like a sweet whiskey that’s not a dessert pour, or if you just like (hot) honey, I highly recommend it!

1 | Disgusting | So bad I poured it out.

2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume by choice.

3 | Bad | Multiple flaws.

4 | Sub-par | Not bad, but better exists.

5 | Good | Good, just fine.

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

7 | Great | Well above average

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

9 | Incredible | An all time favorite

10 | Perfect | Perfect

Review #12: Shortbarrel: The Bees Knees V