Bardstown Bourbon Company Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon Review

 

Founded in 2014 by Peter Loftin, David Mandell, Daniel Linde, and Garnett Black, the Bardstown Bourbon Company sits on a massive campus. The distillery was never meant to make only its house brands; by design, it handles contract distilling for several well-known brands.

 

The distillery offers over 50 mashbills, which give it the flexibility to avoid producing only a handful of me-too products. Toss in the various barrel char levels and potential finishing cycles, and the options become mind-blowing.

 

“Located in the heart of Kentucky’s bourbon country, Bardstown Bourbon Company represents a new era of whiskey innovation. Our state-of-the-art facility honors time-tested traditions while embracing cutting-edge techniques that push the boundaries of what bourbon can be.

From our glass rickhouses to our collaborative approach with legendary distillers, every bottle tells a story of craftsmanship, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.” – Bardstown Bourbon Company

 

I’ve been to the distillery, and it is, most assuredly, a work of art. The rickhouses are nothing that you’d expect out of Kentucky (or anywhere else, for that matter). The moment you walk into the distillery, you’re pretty much in the dining area, and everything is modern.

 

Bardstown Bourbon Company offers its own branded whiskeys as well. They fall into five categories: Origin Series (its core expressions), Discovery Series (blends of whiskies from around the world), Collaborative Series (finishing experiences with partners around the world), Distillery Series (small-batch, distillery-only offerings), and Single Barrels.

 

Today, we’ll explore its Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, which is part of the Origin Series. The distillery just rebranded with cleaner, easier-to-read labels, so if you come across an old label, it is still the same whiskey I’m reviewing.

 

As a Bonded Bourbon, it was distilled during a single distilling season by Bardstown Bourbon Company. It carries a six-year age statement, even though the minimum requirement is four years, and is packaged at 50% ABV (100°). Bardstown Bourbon Company opted for a wheated mashbill.

 

While I’ve had many whiskeys distilled at Bardstown Bourbon Company, it has been several years since I’ve had one of its own branded expressions; so long that I have no memory of its characteristics.

   

On a side note, Bottled-in-Bond is my favorite niche category of American whiskeys. Between that and the “newness” of this sipping experience, I’m grateful to Bardstown Bourbon Company for providing me with the opportunity in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and discover what this Bourbon is all about!

 

• Whiskey Type: Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: Bardstown Bourbon Co
• Age: 6 years
• Mashbill: 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley
• Cooperage: 53-gallon new, charred oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 50% ABV (100°)
• Price per 750mL: $46.99

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. The topaz color looked inviting. The thick rim produced randomly spaced, thick tears that rolled into the pool.

 

Nose: After allowing the Bourbon about 15 minutes to breathe, I began my nosing. There was plenty of rich, sweet corn, along with gingerbread, coffeecake, nuts, and mild oak. As I pulled the aroma into my mouth, I encountered vanilla cream.

 

Palate: With the first sip, I experienced an intensely creamy texture, followed by a palate-shocking bitter oak. On my second try, I tasted peaches, vanilla cream, and nutmeg on the front. Notes of lemon zest, nutmeg, and powdered cinnamon hit my mid-palate, while flavors of oak, green peppercorn, and gingerbread formed the back.

 

Finish: Oak, gingerbread, nutmeg, and creamy vanilla stayed in the spotlight while green peppercorn and lemon zest hid in the shadows. The spice ramped as things rolled on until about 1:08 when everything began to fade. It ran its course at 1:32, making it a longer duration.   

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Wheaters (wheated Bourbons) are typically soft and sweet, with slight (if any) spiciness. Bardstown Bourbon Company’s had bold spice notes. That’s likely due to the wheat interacting with the wood, and something more common with actual wheat whiskeys. Let’s just say it threw me for a loop!

 

I was pleased the bitterness of the palate shock failed to carry further. It was unusual that the rest of the sipping experience offered no hints to its cause beyond the oak.

 

Overall, this is a well-balanced Bourbon that steps outside of what’s expected. That’s almost always a positive experience for me, and today’s was no different. Bardstown’s Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon is priced right, and it is worth picking up a Bottle. Cheers!

 

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit, but begs you to do so responsibly.