I like the fact that Bardstown Bourbon Company is transparent about the whiskies they release. This release is a creative marriage of sourced whiskies— 90% of it is a 7 year old Indiana Rye and 10% is a 17 year old Tennessee Bourbon. The mash bills of each of the whiskies is right on the label. The blend was then aged for 23 months in Foursquare Rum barrels. The Distillery sent this bottle to me and recently, Matt and I sat down and tasted this whiskey.  Here are our tasting notes.

Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series, Blend of Straight Whiskies Finished in Foursquare Rum Distillery Barrels

Proof: 107

Age: 7 year old Rye and 17 year old Bourbon 

Nose:

  • Mike: Very sweet, like cotton candy. Apricots, rye grass and oak.
  • Matt: Toasted vanilla, fresh cut cedar, and brown sugar.

Taste:

  • Mike: Molasses, rye grass, apricots, allspice and oak. Tasting a dried cranberry diminishes the molasses and brings out the allspice and nutmeg flavors. Tasted with a pecan brings out chocolate and citrus with cardamom spice.
  • Matt: Vanilla and caramel, dark cherry, brown sugar and baking spices. The dried cranberry enhanced the vanilla and brought out lemon and cardamom notes. The pecan enhanced the caramel and brown sugar and brought  out notes of oak and white pepper.

Finish:

  • Mike: Medium long with oak, spice and lingering molasses. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the finish was medium long with oak and allspice. The pecan made the finish long with oak, cardamom spice and lingering molasses.
  • Matt: Oak wood and baking spices. The dried cranberry brought out cardamom and oak, but otherwise lightened the finish. The pecan emphasized the oak and pepper notes in the finish.

I would pair this Whiskey with an Oliva Serie V Melanio Double Toro cigar. The rich spicy and nutty smoke with its coffee notes would complement the molasses and rye grass flavors in the Whiskey.

Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller