Kessler American Blended Whiskey is a exactly what its name suggests… an American Blended Whiskey. Which means it has at least 20% of some kind of straight whiskey blended with neutral grain spirits. Being an ABW it can also include additional colors and flavors.
Kessler Whiskey got it’s start in Colorado back in 1888 by Julius Kessler. Kessler was an old west business man who originally sold his whiskey in the time honored tradition of the Fuller Brush Man. That is to say he did it by going from saloon door to saloon door to hock his alcoholic wares. He and his business were successful and continued to grow until he gave it all up in 1921. Some call it a retirement, but I think prohibition settling in might have had more than a little something to do with it.
In 1935 (2 years after prohibition ended) the Kessler Whiskey brand was bought by The Seagram Company and through it’s later dissolution the Kessler brand ended up being owned by what is now Beam Suntory and is currently the #2 American Blended Whiskey in the world behind Seagram’s 7. That’s quite the adventure for a brand that start out being sold door to door at Saloons in a small town in Colorado.
Kessler American Blended Whiskey Review
ABV: 40%
Age: NAS
Price: $12
Distiller: Jim Beam
EYE
Dark caramel
NOSE
Light nose without much going on. There is a watery caramel, some grainy corn, a weak spice and an alcohol kick that reminds me of smell of Smirnoff vodka.
PALATE
Alcohol driven with a light nutty character comes first followed by some light notes of watery caramel, corn, a weak spice and an even weaker vanilla.
FINISH
Alcohol, watery caramel and a light nuttiness fade out on a medium pace.
BALANCE, BODY & FEEL
Alcohol heavy and off balance with a thin weak body and watery texture.
OVERALL
Kessler American Blended Whiskey isn’t very good. It smells like a cheap bourbon that’s been watered down and mixed with vodka and it tastes much the same. It’s easy to see why this is so popular as a cocktail mixer. It’s light, doesn’t add any major amount of flavor or aroma to whatever you’re making; just fades into the background. As both a mixer and as a whiskey in general it’s much better than Seagram’s 7 so, while that’s not saying much, at least it’s got that going for it.
SCORE: 62/100
Where can one buy a barrel of Kessler whiskey?
Contact Jim Beam.
Hello,
I have an unopened bottle of 1961-1965 blended American Kessler. Not sure the value but I see some guys in here may want the older recipe. It was my grandpa’s and I don’t really want to sell it because of the sentimental value. However, if someone out there would like have that old flavor back with this original 60’s bottle, I’d be willing to let it go.
I love Makers Mark and several rye bourbons so I’m assuming this isn’t my palette type of whiskey.
I also have a 74-76 bottle of imperial (Imp) that I’ll never open.
Hey Don, I don’t facilitate selling on the site since it’s illegal for private citizens to sell alcohol. But that said, neither of those are collectibles and usually go for <$50 in the rare cases they show up in auctions. You'd be better served just enjoying them yourself or giving them as gifts. Cheers Don.
Bruce the taste tester.
Bruce,
Is that taste of dog crap distilled from corn, rye or barley? I know it does not smell like dog crap but I myself have avoiding tasting dog crap so I shall defer to an expert dog crap enthusiast. ; )
What an awesome memory. Grandpa sounds like an all American family man, a sadly dying breed, and your story warms my heart. Toss one back in grandpas honor for us all.
I was introduced to Kessler in the 80’s. I was just in my 30’s then. I had grown up drinking beer, IW Harper, Southern Comfort. Canadian Mist and just about anything my uncles drank. I was drinking Crown then and Kessler was introduced to me as poor man’s Crown. I eased into it and have never looked back. I enjoy it with clear diet soda, more lately with water and ice or over ice. if a bar doesn’t have it then it’s Seagram 7 or nothing for me. I keep it in the freezer and am never out. Just my 2 cents worth but it the best tasting value out there.
Glad you like it Ron, thanks for sharing, cheers!
COMMENT # 2
5/31/2022–WHY IS THIS LIQUOR STORE OUT OF KESSLER
1006 S. MAIN ST.
MILTON FREEWATER OR. 97862–PH.541-938-5711
STORE # 063.
THANKs
THE DEL
I don’t know, you need to ask the store or send an email to Jim Beam, or your local distributor, and ask.
Just wanted to know if Kessler is gluten free
All whiskey is gluten-free. Any gluten that might have been in it gets broken down when distilled. Cheers
Drank plenty of it back in the '80s!
I can appreciate Ward’s story about his grandpa drinking Kessler’s and beer every morning. I am also a retired railroader, and I drank plenty of Kessler’s with a coworker (Grady) back in the mid ’80s. Grady was just coming on duty as my work day ended, and most everyday he’d say, “I’m buyin’ if you’re flyin’! Since he was buyin’, he always wanted a pint of Kessler’s with a six pack of whatever was cheap. We drank it right out of the bottle and then chased it down with our beer. I had never drank Kessler’s before, but I grew to enjoy it very much, and I have to admit that I always had a nice buzz on my way home! I haven’t had a sip of Kessler’s in over 30 years, and from what I’ve read here, it doesn’t sound like it’s near as good as it used to be. Still, I just might try another pint just for the fun of it sometime soon. :-)
Grandpa Loved it!
So growing up (I’m 61 now so it has been a long process) I lived next to my Grandfather who was retired and I did everything with him (hunt, trap, fish, etc.) and this was his every morning around 10am drink. He had worked on a railroad for over 4o years so was used to getting up around 4am and continued that after retirement so 10am to him was going on mid-day. We’d stop at the local VFW and he’d have a shot of Kessler and a beer and I mean everyday. We only lived about 1/2 mile from the VFW so we’d walk if the weather was bad. Anyways, he lived to be 96 and at the time of his death, he was not on one medication. I don’t know if the Kessler and the Cigars had anything to do with it but he had a great life.
I came across Josh’s review and that made me remember all the mornings sitting in the VFW drinking my coke while Grandpa had his Kessler’s. I bought a bottle and guess what, Josh was right. Not the best out there! I’ll stick to my Buffalo Trace or Bookers but I set the bottle beside a picture of Gramps and occasionally I throw back a shot in his memory. Not a great whiskey but does have a lot of memories! :)
BTW..the 4 stars are for the memories…I might give the whiskey 2 stars!
Ward, I can’t thank you enough for sharing this with us. This was awesome to read, thank you for adding this amazing memory here. Cheers!
Ain’t bad and quite 1960 Ward Cleaver household type whiskey……shot with a beer,SWEET
The old timers turned me on to Kessler. Easier on the gut than most higher priced brands and quite tasty on the rocks.
Glad you’re enjoying it. Cheers Johnny!
Oye vey! I have always enjoyed Kessler whiskey with my. diet sprite. From California, I moved to Myrtle Brach South Carolina. And behold, they tell me there is no Kessler distributor nearby so no liquor stores can carry it. Is that TRUE? Short of moving out of South Carolina I’d like to know if that is correct. I just wanna buy some….ugh
Oh shoot that sucks! Once of the major downfalls of America’s 3 Tier system is that not all distributors carry everything. I would say look at some of the online stores like Flaviar, Caskers, Ace, etc. They might carry it and cand ship it to you and to save on shipping maybe get a case at a time. Anytime I get online orders I do 5-6 bottles at a time to make the shipping worth it.
Good luck, cheers Jeannie!
best ever very smooth don’t need a choker
4th generation Kessler drinker here. Maybe an inherited pallet or acquired taste but I prefer it as my go to mix whiskey.
Nothing wrong with that. If you like it you like it :) Cheers Lenny!
Interesting brand . Jeff Thompson beat me to it . Kessler is one I drank every so often in the 80’s . It along with Philidelphia brand whiskey ( another blended and the first whiskey I ever drank that I stuck with a bit ) were pretty good . I preferred the Philidelphia . But here’s what I’m wondering .. I see that the Kessler has taken a nose dive and a friend of mine was able to locate a new bottle of Philidelphia ( out of state from me .., I haven’t seen it since the 80’s) and he Said it was awful as well . So , why do the distillers bother putting out such crap ? And how is it that those brands back in the day were better … they were blended then also . Is it because they just wouldnt allow such garbage in their priducts then . It’s a shame because both were decent and the Philidelphia was smooth and kinda nuty. I really liked it
Could be there was a higher quantity of bourbon to grain whiskey in the blend than there is now. That’s what happened with some Scotch brands.
Can’t resist posting. I am on the road at hotel – wanted to buy a pint of fancy whisk. But the store only sold 5ths and more. This was 10 bucks and I liked the label. I was scared to drink it straight so i boight some kara kara oranges in the store. Went back to hotel. Chopped up the oranges and put them in the coffemaker pot. poured the kessler over that. let it sit. tastes good feels like a brokeass old fashioned. and going to sleep well. – Then i got curious and goigled the reviews.The real test will be how i feel tomorrow. cheers
Hahaha, oh wow I love this comment. That’s awesome. So… how’d you feel the next day?
I have a question for you Josh. I received 2 1.5 liter bottles of Kessler from a family member that they picked up from an old farm sale. It looks like the bottle say (4 84) on the bottom. They have the old paper seal across the top cap. Not wanting to be rude I opened one and shared it with the visitors at the time of getting it. It doesn’t taste bad at all with a splash of coke in a 10 oz glass. Do you think the remaining unopened full bottle is worth much? Thanks!
Hey Jeff. The older stuff (80s like yours) is probably much better than the current stuff. You’re definitely better off drinking it than trying to sell it. Blended American whiskey like this rarely goes for more than $30-$40 on the secondary. It’s not a sought-after thing. Cheers!
Thank you sir! I agree with you, I am enjoying it just fine. Definitely not 2017 Kesslers.
This tastes like dog crap!
When I drink a shot of any whiskey, within seven minutes or so, I will start to feel relaxed.
This is why I drink whiskey.
The discussion of whiskey reminds me of the discussion about pipes and pipe tobacco. When I went into a pipe shop, the people behind the counter used to talk about the pipe as it was a piece of furniture. They even had pamphlets on how to load a pipe and light it. I guess it was more complicated then put the tobacco in a pipe, lite tobacco and suck.
The people behind the counter would then discuss pipe tobacco like it was Jesus’ second coming. There was a snob appeal to fancy pipes and tobacco.
Rating Whiskey reminds me of this.
If you like it, drink it. No one knows what you like better than yourself.
Yes… I say that all the time, just drink what you like. As for just shooting whiskey is what blended stuff like this and most vodka is created for. 20+ Year Old first-fill sherry cask scotch is not created for shooting. You can shoot it, it’s your money, but that’s not what it was created for. Same with high-end tobacco, tequila, mezcal, etc. If all you like to do is shoot booze and get drunk do it. If you like to sit, sip, think about and enjoy what you’re drinking then come join us here; that’s what this is for.
Cheers.
There seems to be a lot of bitterness over Kesslers not receiving an “F” here. However, I think most of those that seem bitter are lacking perspective. For what Kesslers is, it’s “ok”. Kesslers has no aspirations to be the best whiskey out there, not even a Jim beam white. Having drank a lot of this in college, I’ll tell you where it really shines, as a “well” mixed with coke. Jim white label also mixes great with coke but as a broke college student that was considered a luxury. Is Kesslers a bottom tier whiskey? Absolutely! However, that’s why it is so popular as it fits the needs of a “well whiskey” perfectly. It puts on no airs and fits the bill it is intended to. I think there are too many whiskey snobs out there that forget the bottom shelf products have their place as well. I have a few expensive bottles on my shelf to drink neat but still keep a bottle of Kesslers or Jim white around for the occasional whiskey and coke (they are quite delicious). Not to mention the fact everyone’s palate is different, so any review is subjective. Sorry, I’ll step off my soap box now…
No need to apologize, that’s why those soap boxes are there ;) Thanks for sharing Aaron. Cheers!
Kessler is the best cheap whiskey its not that far below evan williams or jim beam but yes it does have a wateriness which makes it seem like not a genuine whiskey.
Just a thought,
While I by no means am a professional, I have drank and am drinking Kessler. Yes it is cheap. Yes it is weak. I personally call it Pvt. Kessler simply because I grew up drinking it where there was no shine available. That being said. I will continue to drink the cheap stuff.
There are lots of what you might call tastefull whiskey’s out there. Generally with a top shelf price above the top. Truth is I could not care more about them. (My opinion) I drink what to me is easy to drink. Kessler is not available everywhere but for some reason it is very popular much the way I believe it is and this is why it it so popular. Just because it is expensive doesnt make it any better. Again (my opinion)! I rate it a (85)
Hey Gene,
Thanks for sharing and I 100% agree with the sentiment that just because it’s expensive doesn’t make it amazing. I’ve had plenty of expensive whisky that was not much better than a “meh” and plenty of cheaper whiskey that I love (Wild Turkey 101!). Drinking what you like is the important thing. Cheers!
Oh , I remember this one from the early 80’s . From what I recall , it was actually pretty damn smooth . If I remember right , it was kinda nutty too … I liked it back then , but I was a teenager … I liked all sorts of things I wasnt supposed to be drinking [ Mainly Jim Beam White :)] . Heck , I liked Canadian Mist back then too . If it were available in a flask sized bottle , I’d probably buy one to retry after all these years
I’ve seen it in plastic flasks before. Not sure if it still is, but I know I’ve seen them in the past.
I buy this cheap stuff to mix with RC Cola to get drunk faster and cheaper than beer. That is it. Jack Daniels is ok in my coffee. Early Times is for unexpected visitors and relatives. My preferred booze is R&R or windsor Canadian, to other cheap bottles of booze. I drink maybe half a gallon a year total of hard booze. Coffee and water are my first choices for beverages, and 2nd tier beer is third. I am a retired working poor, just muddling along quietly. Is Kessler good? Not really, but I don’t care.
Just tried this for the first time at a local bar.
Not bad at all for a lower end, bottom shelf American Blended Whiskey.
I haven’t had Seagram’s 7 in years to compare it to, but I feel this is better.
I dislike both of them, but I will definitely agree with you that this is better :)
Bought my first fifth of Kesslers today. Just wanted to try something different from my usual picks. Was pleasantly surprised how smooth and tasteful it is. Screw all the “ratings”. I just enjoyed it and will purchase it again.
If you like it you like it. Cheers!
I been drinking Kessler for years and really enjoy it over ice during Happy Hour. Drinking it on a regular basis allows me to enjoy many of the higher priced bourbons and single malts on a less regular basis without feeling gilty.
Cheers!
Old Thompson is $3.00 less per 1.75L and tastes better. Good enough for me.
I enjoy drinking Kessler. I think it mixes well in a Manhattan with Punt e Mes, aromatic bitters and a liberal dose of Cherry Heering. It is a richer American blended whiskey than Fleishmann’s, Seagrams 7, Wilson, Philadelphia Club, or Old Thompson, and has more character than Canadian Club. It is hard to find in my area and I have to drive out of the way to get it, but it is worth it to me.
I have to agree with the last couple of comments.
Have been drinking Kesslers for YEARS and have ALWAYS loved it. Through and through. HOWEVER lol, it is NOT my go-to bourbon, but it definitely makes a suitable substation when low on funds ( see : kids and things they need lol ).
* substitution *, not ” substation “.
Cheap & smooth. Sure its not Wild Turkey, but its half the price.
I personally like Kessler. It mixes well with anything. That’s all folks
Josh,
Thankyou for your reply. I appreciate your consideration. I follow your site and mainly agree with your tasting notes throughout. It’s a bit of a “thing” for me that bad bottles aren’t properly identified sometimes as such. I appreciate you listening to what i had to say.
Keep up the good work!!
Daniel
Josh,
I have to agree with David.
What is the redeeming quality of this stuff, other than the fact that it has alcohol in it? Why not just call it out for what it is, and thereby raise the actual ratings by default of those spirits that are well-made?
Seems to me that whiskey reviewers are reluctant to call out junk for what it really is.
The spirit from Lynchburg is a perfect example. It’s irrelevant that it is so popular, the truth is that it’s not very good. The same with Budweiser beer. It’s awful and barely palatable only the fact that it’s so popular apparently makes it better than the junk that it is? Nope. It’s still junk regardless of its popularity.
There ought to be a real baseline that these spirits should hit, and if they don’t they should be called out for it. This review to me sounds like this spirit is not good, so why not give it a comparable number to show that it’s not good? The description of your 75 rating says that is means that the whiskey is “still worth trying.” But the review itself doesn’t suggest a thing worthy about it. Sorry to sound so critical on this, but I see this on almost every whiskey review site I hit.
I follow your site and appreciate your reviews regardless of my criticism on this.
Regards,
Dan
Hey Dan,
First, thank you. I appreciate the comment and the criticism and you know what… you make some good points. This is something I’ve, believe it or not, been giving a lot of thought to. I’ve had several great conversations with folks over the last 3 or 4 months both online and off about ratings and scores and my conclusion is that I need to adjust the scale to more accurately reflect different levels of whisky and not try to make things fit into guidelines I initially wrote over 2 years ago when I first thought about re-starting this site and wanted to whiskey cocktails to have a bigger place on the site than I’ve given them the last year.
I still make them quite often at home, I just don’t post about them as much and so one of the requirements I had, and still carry but arguably shouldn’t, is it’s ability to enhance a cocktail and so while I still wouldn’t put it at 60 (that’s Seagram’s 7 territory) It might be more fitting around 70… maybe 69, but it got a bump due to fitting that cocktail segment I laid out. When mixing the alcohol notes get masked and it lends a nuttiness to some of the prohibition & pre-prohibition era cocktails I like experimenting with that specifically call for American Whiskey (not bourbon or rye, “non-specific” stuff like this).
Palate, experiences, etc. all lend to changing ideas and I’ve recently been reading back through a lot of my older reviews and thinking about them and scoring and all of that stuff (I’m single again, so I have a lot of extra time on my hands these days). Doing that I’ve picked out about a dozen reviews out of the 200+ I’ve done in the last 1 1/2 years that I should go back and edit under some new revised scoring guidelines I’ve been mulling over and this is going to be added to the list.
Thanks for your candor, your insight, your criticism and for being a reader. I appreciate it all.
Cheers,
Josh
It seems like a review like this should generate a score of about 60.
It makes decent cocktails. 60 = no redeeming value what-so-ever
Some gave me one that was 15 years old. What are your opinions
Probably tastes the same as it does now. Grain Neutral Spirit wouldn’t change much over the years.
Okay I’m covcinned. Let’s put it to action.
I didn’t say it before, but thanks for the comment. I Don’t want to write it all out again, but if you look at the reply I made to Dan about this it’ll all make sense. Basically the two of you have pushed some of the things I”ve been thinking about to the front and I’m going to make a few changes on here. Update ideology and methodology a bit to some things I’ve been considering for a while, but just haven’t taken action on. So… thanks again :)
Cheers!
Josh