diff --git a/log/experimental_level/benchmark_test.go b/log/experimental_level/benchmark_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..176af248d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/log/experimental_level/benchmark_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+package level_test
+
+import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/go-kit/kit/log"
+	"github.com/go-kit/kit/log/experimental_level"
+)
+
+func BenchmarkNopBaseline(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRunner(b, log.NewNopLogger())
+}
+
+func BenchmarkNopDisallowedLevel(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRunner(b, level.New(log.NewNopLogger(), level.Config{
+		Allowed: level.AllowInfoAndAbove(),
+	}))
+}
+
+func BenchmarkNopAllowedLevel(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRunner(b, level.New(log.NewNopLogger(), level.Config{
+		Allowed: level.AllowAll(),
+	}))
+}
+
+func BenchmarkJSONBaseline(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRunner(b, log.NewJSONLogger(ioutil.Discard))
+}
+
+func BenchmarkJSONDisallowedLevel(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRunner(b, level.New(log.NewJSONLogger(ioutil.Discard), level.Config{
+		Allowed: level.AllowInfoAndAbove(),
+	}))
+}
+
+func BenchmarkJSONAllowedLevel(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRunner(b, level.New(log.NewJSONLogger(ioutil.Discard), level.Config{
+		Allowed: level.AllowAll(),
+	}))
+}
+
+func BenchmarkLogfmtBaseline(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRunner(b, log.NewLogfmtLogger(ioutil.Discard))
+}
+
+func BenchmarkLogfmtDisallowedLevel(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRunner(b, level.New(log.NewLogfmtLogger(ioutil.Discard), level.Config{
+		Allowed: level.AllowInfoAndAbove(),
+	}))
+}
+
+func BenchmarkLogfmtAllowedLevel(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRunner(b, level.New(log.NewLogfmtLogger(ioutil.Discard), level.Config{
+		Allowed: level.AllowAll(),
+	}))
+}
+
+func benchmarkRunner(b *testing.B, logger log.Logger) {
+	b.ResetTimer()
+	b.ReportAllocs()
+	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+		level.Debug(logger).Log("foo", "bar")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/log/experimental_level/doc.go b/log/experimental_level/doc.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7b81a9756
--- /dev/null
+++ b/log/experimental_level/doc.go
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+// Package level is an EXPERIMENTAL levelled logging package. The API will
+// definitely have breaking changes and may be deleted altogether. Be warned!
+//
+// To use the level package, create a logger as per normal in your func main,
+// and wrap it with level.New.
+//
+//    var logger log.Logger
+//    logger = log.NewLogfmtLogger(os.Stderr)
+//    logger = level.New(logger, level.Config{Allowed: level.AllowInfoAndAbove}) // <--
+//    logger = log.NewContext(logger).With("ts", log.DefaultTimestampUTC)
+//
+// Then, at the callsites, use one of the level.Debug, Info, Warn, or Error
+// helper methods to emit leveled log events.
+//
+//    logger.Log("foo", "bar") // as normal, no level
+//    level.Debug(logger).Log("request_id", reqID, "trace_data", trace.Get())
+//    if value > 100 {
+//        level.Error(logger).Log("value", value)
+//    }
+//
+// The leveled logger allows precise control over what should happen if a log
+// event is emitted without a level key, or if a squelched level is used. Check
+// the Config struct for details. And, you can easily use non-default level
+// values: create new string constants for whatever you want to change, pass
+// them explicitly to the Config struct, and write your own level.Foo-style
+// helper methods.
+package level
diff --git a/log/experimental_level/level.go b/log/experimental_level/level.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6210d5c14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/log/experimental_level/level.go
@@ -0,0 +1,146 @@
+package level
+
+import (
+	"github.com/go-kit/kit/log"
+)
+
+var (
+	levelKey        = "level"
+	errorLevelValue = "error"
+	warnLevelValue  = "warn"
+	infoLevelValue  = "info"
+	debugLevelValue = "debug"
+)
+
+// AllowAll is an alias for AllowDebugAndAbove.
+func AllowAll() []string {
+	return AllowDebugAndAbove()
+}
+
+// AllowDebugAndAbove allows all of the four default log levels.
+// Its return value may be provided as the Allowed parameter in the Config.
+func AllowDebugAndAbove() []string {
+	return []string{errorLevelValue, warnLevelValue, infoLevelValue, debugLevelValue}
+}
+
+// AllowInfoAndAbove allows the default info, warn, and error log levels.
+// Its return value may be provided as the Allowed parameter in the Config.
+func AllowInfoAndAbove() []string {
+	return []string{errorLevelValue, warnLevelValue, infoLevelValue}
+}
+
+// AllowWarnAndAbove allows the default warn and error log levels.
+// Its return value may be provided as the Allowed parameter in the Config.
+func AllowWarnAndAbove() []string {
+	return []string{errorLevelValue, warnLevelValue}
+}
+
+// AllowErrorOnly allows only the default error log level.
+// Its return value may be provided as the Allowed parameter in the Config.
+func AllowErrorOnly() []string {
+	return []string{errorLevelValue}
+}
+
+// AllowNone allows none of the default log levels.
+// Its return value may be provided as the Allowed parameter in the Config.
+func AllowNone() []string {
+	return []string{}
+}
+
+// Error returns a logger with the level key set to ErrorLevelValue.
+func Error(logger log.Logger) log.Logger {
+	return log.NewContext(logger).With(levelKey, errorLevelValue)
+}
+
+// Warn returns a logger with the level key set to WarnLevelValue.
+func Warn(logger log.Logger) log.Logger {
+	return log.NewContext(logger).With(levelKey, warnLevelValue)
+}
+
+// Info returns a logger with the level key set to InfoLevelValue.
+func Info(logger log.Logger) log.Logger {
+	return log.NewContext(logger).With(levelKey, infoLevelValue)
+}
+
+// Debug returns a logger with the level key set to DebugLevelValue.
+func Debug(logger log.Logger) log.Logger {
+	return log.NewContext(logger).With(levelKey, debugLevelValue)
+}
+
+// Config parameterizes the leveled logger.
+type Config struct {
+	// Allowed enumerates the accepted log levels. If a log event is encountered
+	// with a level key set to a value that isn't explicitly allowed, the event
+	// will be squelched, and ErrNotAllowed returned.
+	Allowed []string
+
+	// ErrNotAllowed is returned to the caller when Log is invoked with a level
+	// key that hasn't been explicitly allowed. By default, ErrNotAllowed is
+	// nil; in this case, the log event is squelched with no error.
+	ErrNotAllowed error
+
+	// SquelchNoLevel will squelch log events with no level key, so that they
+	// don't proceed through to the wrapped logger. If SquelchNoLevel is set to
+	// true and a log event is squelched in this way, ErrNoLevel is returned to
+	// the caller.
+	SquelchNoLevel bool
+
+	// ErrNoLevel is returned to the caller when SquelchNoLevel is true, and Log
+	// is invoked without a level key. By default, ErrNoLevel is nil; in this
+	// case, the log event is squelched with no error.
+	ErrNoLevel error
+}
+
+// New wraps the logger and implements level checking. See the commentary on the
+// Config object for a detailed description of how to configure levels.
+func New(next log.Logger, config Config) log.Logger {
+	return &logger{
+		next:           next,
+		allowed:        makeSet(config.Allowed),
+		errNotAllowed:  config.ErrNotAllowed,
+		squelchNoLevel: config.SquelchNoLevel,
+		errNoLevel:     config.ErrNoLevel,
+	}
+}
+
+type logger struct {
+	next           log.Logger
+	allowed        map[string]struct{}
+	errNotAllowed  error
+	squelchNoLevel bool
+	errNoLevel     error
+}
+
+func (l *logger) Log(keyvals ...interface{}) error {
+	var hasLevel, levelAllowed bool
+	for i := 0; i < len(keyvals); i += 2 {
+		if k, ok := keyvals[i].(string); !ok || k != levelKey {
+			continue
+		}
+		hasLevel = true
+		if i >= len(keyvals) {
+			continue
+		}
+		v, ok := keyvals[i+1].(string)
+		if !ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		_, levelAllowed = l.allowed[v]
+		break
+	}
+	if !hasLevel && l.squelchNoLevel {
+		return l.errNoLevel
+	}
+	if hasLevel && !levelAllowed {
+		return l.errNotAllowed
+	}
+	return l.next.Log(keyvals...)
+}
+
+func makeSet(a []string) map[string]struct{} {
+	m := make(map[string]struct{}, len(a))
+	for _, s := range a {
+		m[s] = struct{}{}
+	}
+	return m
+}
diff --git a/log/experimental_level/level_test.go b/log/experimental_level/level_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..741d3980c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/log/experimental_level/level_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+package level_test
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"errors"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/go-kit/kit/log"
+	"github.com/go-kit/kit/log/experimental_level"
+)
+
+func TestVariousLevels(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, testcase := range []struct {
+		allowed []string
+		want    string
+	}{
+		{
+			level.AllowAll(),
+			strings.Join([]string{
+				`{"level":"debug","this is":"debug log"}`,
+				`{"level":"info","this is":"info log"}`,
+				`{"level":"warn","this is":"warn log"}`,
+				`{"level":"error","this is":"error log"}`,
+			}, "\n"),
+		},
+		{
+			level.AllowDebugAndAbove(),
+			strings.Join([]string{
+				`{"level":"debug","this is":"debug log"}`,
+				`{"level":"info","this is":"info log"}`,
+				`{"level":"warn","this is":"warn log"}`,
+				`{"level":"error","this is":"error log"}`,
+			}, "\n"),
+		},
+		{
+			level.AllowInfoAndAbove(),
+			strings.Join([]string{
+				`{"level":"info","this is":"info log"}`,
+				`{"level":"warn","this is":"warn log"}`,
+				`{"level":"error","this is":"error log"}`,
+			}, "\n"),
+		},
+		{
+			level.AllowWarnAndAbove(),
+			strings.Join([]string{
+				`{"level":"warn","this is":"warn log"}`,
+				`{"level":"error","this is":"error log"}`,
+			}, "\n"),
+		},
+		{
+			level.AllowErrorOnly(),
+			strings.Join([]string{
+				`{"level":"error","this is":"error log"}`,
+			}, "\n"),
+		},
+		{
+			level.AllowNone(),
+			``,
+		},
+	} {
+		var buf bytes.Buffer
+		logger := level.New(log.NewJSONLogger(&buf), level.Config{Allowed: testcase.allowed})
+
+		level.Debug(logger).Log("this is", "debug log")
+		level.Info(logger).Log("this is", "info log")
+		level.Warn(logger).Log("this is", "warn log")
+		level.Error(logger).Log("this is", "error log")
+
+		if want, have := testcase.want, strings.TrimSpace(buf.String()); want != have {
+			t.Errorf("given Allowed=%v: want\n%s\nhave\n%s", testcase.allowed, want, have)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestErrNotAllowed(t *testing.T) {
+	myError := errors.New("squelched!")
+	logger := level.New(log.NewNopLogger(), level.Config{
+		Allowed:       level.AllowWarnAndAbove(),
+		ErrNotAllowed: myError,
+	})
+
+	if want, have := myError, level.Info(logger).Log("foo", "bar"); want != have {
+		t.Errorf("want %#+v, have %#+v", want, have)
+	}
+
+	if want, have := error(nil), level.Warn(logger).Log("foo", "bar"); want != have {
+		t.Errorf("want %#+v, have %#+v", want, have)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestErrNoLevel(t *testing.T) {
+	myError := errors.New("no level specified")
+
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	logger := level.New(log.NewJSONLogger(&buf), level.Config{
+		SquelchNoLevel: true,
+		ErrNoLevel:     myError,
+	})
+
+	if want, have := myError, logger.Log("foo", "bar"); want != have {
+		t.Errorf("want %v, have %v", want, have)
+	}
+	if want, have := ``, strings.TrimSpace(buf.String()); want != have {
+		t.Errorf("want %q, have %q", want, have)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAllowNoLevel(t *testing.T) {
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	logger := level.New(log.NewJSONLogger(&buf), level.Config{
+		SquelchNoLevel: false,
+		ErrNoLevel:     errors.New("I should never be returned!"),
+	})
+
+	if want, have := error(nil), logger.Log("foo", "bar"); want != have {
+		t.Errorf("want %v, have %v", want, have)
+	}
+	if want, have := `{"foo":"bar"}`, strings.TrimSpace(buf.String()); want != have {
+		t.Errorf("want %q, have %q", want, have)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestLevelContext(t *testing.T) {
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+
+	// Wrapping the level logger with a context allows users to use
+	// log.DefaultCaller as per normal.
+	var logger log.Logger
+	logger = log.NewLogfmtLogger(&buf)
+	logger = level.New(logger, level.Config{Allowed: level.AllowAll()})
+	logger = log.NewContext(logger).With("caller", log.DefaultCaller)
+
+	level.Info(logger).Log("foo", "bar")
+	if want, have := `caller=level_test.go:134 level=info foo=bar`, strings.TrimSpace(buf.String()); want != have {
+		t.Errorf("want %q, have %q", want, have)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestContextLevel(t *testing.T) {
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+
+	// Wrapping a context with the level logger still works, but requires users
+	// to specify a higher callstack depth value.
+	var logger log.Logger
+	logger = log.NewLogfmtLogger(&buf)
+	logger = log.NewContext(logger).With("caller", log.Caller(5))
+	logger = level.New(logger, level.Config{Allowed: level.AllowAll()})
+
+	level.Info(logger).Log("foo", "bar")
+	if want, have := `caller=level_test.go:150 level=info foo=bar`, strings.TrimSpace(buf.String()); want != have {
+		t.Errorf("want %q, have %q", want, have)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/log/nop_logger_test.go b/log/nop_logger_test.go
index 25af1836d..70e69cdfe 100644
--- a/log/nop_logger_test.go
+++ b/log/nop_logger_test.go
@@ -16,3 +16,11 @@ func TestNopLogger(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error(err)
 	}
 }
+
+func BenchmarkNopLoggerSimple(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRunner(b, log.NewNopLogger(), baseMessage)
+}
+
+func BenchmarkNopLoggerContextual(b *testing.B) {
+	benchmarkRunner(b, log.NewNopLogger(), withMessage)
+}