Bardstown Bourbon Co. Origin Series – Wheated KSBW

I’d been hearing a lot about Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s Origin Series, particularly the wheated bourbon mash bill (68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley). After discovering it for $60 on a visit to my local, I decided I’d give it a go. Here’s to the latest wheated warrior!

Pour: Bardstown Bourbon Co. Origin Series KSBW (20% wheat)
Proof: 100
Age: 6 years (bottled in bond)
Color: amber
Nose: vanilla, cane syrup, maraschino cherry
Taste: “bright” toffee, sugar cookie, white pepper
Finish: moderate length w/ sweet corn, light spice, lemon

Overall: A clean and inoffensive whiskey. Not much complexity (hardly any, truthfully), but for six years there’s promise for what may come. Keep an eye on Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s wheated bourbon recipe. It might be a Weller killer, just not today.

Rating: Borigins.

Bardstown Bourbon Co. Discovery Series No. 4

Thanks to a generous friend, this is my second venture into Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s Discovery Series. While I was impressed with Discovery No. 2, its price gave me cause for pause. Will Discovery No. 4 prove its equal? Possibly its superior? Based on its specs, it’s likely.

Pour: Bardstown Bourbon Co. Discovery No. 4
Proof: 115
Age: 10 years (10-, 13-, and 15-year KSBW)
Color: dense copper
Nose: toasted caramel, blood orange, honey butter
Taste: vanilla bean, cherry pie filling, pipe tobacco
Finish: long & robust w/ brown sugar, cinnamon, clove

Overall: Wow! This is one spectacular bourbon. While the critic in me wants to grumble about Bardstown Discovery No. 4’s $130 price, the whiskey lover in me just can’t do it. Damn, this is excellent. Mature, complex, and well-balanced at a respectable proof.

Rating: Big guns.

Bardstown Bourbon Co. Discovery Series No. 2

Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s Discovery Series is an ultra-premium line featuring sourced whiskeys of various ages and mash bills. The second release is composed of 10-, 12-, and 14-year bourbons (undisclosed origins), each distilled in Kentucky with rye as the secondary grain.

Pour: Bardstown Bourbon Co. Discovery Series No. 2
Proof: 122.2
Age: 10 years
Color: rich copper
Nose: salted caramel, honey-roasted nuts, dark citrus
Taste: brown sugar, charred oak, baked cinnamon
Finish: moderately long – vanilla spice, cola, clove gum

Overall: A robust, well-rounded, satisfying pour. While not unlike other bourbons in its class, Bardstown’s Discovery No. 2 brings its share to the table. The sole negative is its $130 price. Quite an expense considering similarly aged options.

Rating: Hefty pour, hefty price.

Bardstown Bourbon Co. Fusion Series No. 2

Bardstown Bourbon Co. have made a name for themselves in the last few years. Having tried several of their sourced and finished expressions, as well as their distillate and two-year maturate, I can attest to their quality. But what about a blend of both worlds? Enter Fusion.

Pour: Bardstown Bourbon Co. Fusion Series No. 2
Proof: 98.9
Age: 34 months (2-12-year KSBW)
Color: rich amber
Nose: Vanilla Tootsie Roll, roasted almonds, orange peel
Taste: light caramel, melted butter, mild spice
Finish: moderately short – toasted oak, nutty toffee, citrus

Overall: I’m torn with this bourbon. There’s a part of me that genuinely appreciates the experimentation aspect – a blend of young and old, distilled and sourced. But then, there’s nothing unique or noteworthy happening to justify Fusion’s $60 price.

Rating: Getting there.