Saint Cloud Bourbons

Saint Cloud's Kobe editions are 7-year Kentucky straight bourbons bottled as single barrels at full barrel proof, released as a tribute to the late Kobe Bryant within the brand's Lakers-honoring single barrel collection. The Kobe 8 and Kobe 24 barrels carry his two jersey numbers, one barrel per number.

Saint Cloud was founded by Ray Walker, the American who famously made Grand Cru Burgundy in France before turning his winemaker's sensibility to Kentucky bourbon. The house bottles exclusively single barrels at barrel proof, unfiltered, to preserve the natural oils and texture proofing-down strips away.

Each is a distinct single barrel honoring one of Bryant's jersey numbers, bottled uncut, so proofs differ between them, the 8 and 24 barrels landing in the mid-120s proof range. Being single barrels, each has its own character, and owning the pair mirrors the two eras of Kobe's career.

Few bottles say more to a Lakers or Kobe fan: a genuine limited single barrel tribute rather than merchandise, with serious barrel-proof bourbon inside. For milestone gifts, memorial toasts, and collections, it's the rare crossover piece that means as much opened as displayed.

These are finite single-barrel releases with distinctive tribute packaging, and the Kobe Bryant connection gives them added significance for some collectors and fans. Complete presentation, clean labels, and an intact seal matter most for a display collection. The bourbon itself is also meant to be enjoyed, so some buyers keep one sealed and open another for a toast.