Bardstown Bourbon Co Victoria Pineapple Barrel Finish American Whiskey 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.

 

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 six 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 Reserve Series (small-batch, distillery-only offerings), Single Barrels, and its brand-new Finishing Series.

 

Bardstown Bourbon Company’s first foray into the Finishing Series is called Victoria Pineapple Barrel Finish and, at least on paper, seems very unusual. They describe it as a marriage of 10- and 11-year-old Bourbons and 11-year-old Rye, which then slept an additional 27 months in former Caribbean-sourced pineapple rum casks. As if that wasn’t enough, they then added oak staves and fresh pineapples to the casks!

 

“The goal was never to make whiskey taste like pineapple. The goal was to understand what made these barrels so special in the first place. We followed that trail all the way back to the creation process and found our way to a whiskey with a bold, tropical fruit, surrounded by rye and allspice.

Finishing with staves gave us the balance that helped integrate the pineapple character without losing the depth and complexity of the whiskey itself.” - Dan Callaway, Master Blender, Lofted Spirits

 

Packaged at 53% ABV (106°), Victoria Pineapple Barrel Finish is a Kentucky-exclusive item available at the distillery and select retail locations. A 750mL has a suggested price of $139.99.

 

I appreciate Bardstown Bourbon Company for sending me a sample of this whiskey in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and discover what it tastes like.

 

Courtesy of Bardstown Bourbon Company

 

• Whiskey Type: American Whiskey
• Distiller: Bardstown Bourbon Company
• Age: 10 years
• Mashbill: Undisclosed blend of Bourbon and Rye
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon charred oak barrels, then finished 27 months in Caribbean-sourced pineapple rum casks
• Alcohol Content: 53% ABV (106°)
• Price per 750mL: $139.99

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore Victoria Pineapple Barrel Finish neat. The color was somewhere between amber orange and burnt orange. A medium rim produced thick, crazed tears.

 

Nose: I patiently waited about 15 minutes before engaging with the whiskey in my glass. As I started sniffing, I encountered cinnamon, brown sugar, subtle grilled pineapples, coconuts, and leather. When I pulled the air through my lips, I tasted molasses.  

 

Palate: The first sip unveiled a silky, medium-weight mouthfeel along with a shock of toasted oak and cocoa powder. The second revealed notes of toasted coconut, molasses, and grilled pineapples on the front. My mid-palate discerned flavors of dark chocolate, English toffee, and crème brulee. The back featured toasted oak, rye spice, and cinnamon.

 

Finish: Thick crème brulee and milk chocolate busted through the door, trailed by molasses, coconut, grilled pineapples, toffee, and toasted oak. Trailing far behind was cinnamon. Initially, the finish had a soft texture, then built slightly, and that cinnamon note was the last to fade off. The duration ran an incredibly long 2:47!

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: While there wasn’t much in terms of alcohol “burn,” my hard palate numbed after the second sip. If I didn’t know better, I’d assume it was between 92° and 96°. It went down so easily. I was mesmerized by its color. Usually I’m good at nailing that down. Today, not so much.

 

The texture was enchanting. At some point, I didn’t want to swallow. At the same time, I wanted to take another sip. When I say the mouthfeel was one of the top qualities of Victoria Pineapple Barrel Finish, it might seem like I’m discounting other aspects. That would be a mistake.

 

I loved the flavors. It was like drinking a dessert whiskey, but not quite that sweet. Spices were in more of a supporting role than being a lead actor. I agree with Dan Callaway that this isn’t a pineapple whiskey. It, too, took a supporting role. The rum cask was the star of the show.

 

Is Victoria Pineapple Barrel Finish a bit on the pricey side? Yes. Do I believe anyone would have buyer’s remorse? Not a chance. Victoria Pineapple Barrel Finish is a stunning whiskey that’s well worth experiencing. My Bottle rating is more than fair. 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.