What’s described as Bardstown Bourbon Company’s “modern and transparent approach to whiskey making” is on full display in two new releases that were just recently released.
Bardstown Bourbon Co. Discovery #11 continues the named series tradition of blending whiskies found around the world. Yet, in a first for the distillery, this edition of the Discovery Series includes a bourbon that was estate-distilled at the distillery itself.
“This is a special milestone in our Discovery Series, as our own estate-distilled whiskey has now matured, which gives us some exciting new blending opportunities,” said Dan Callaway, VP of Product Development for Bardstown Bourbon Co, in a prepared statement. “So, for Discovery #11, we decided to celebrate in a Kentucky kind of way and chose all Bluegrass-based bourbons to blend with what we estate-distilled.”
Over the years, the Discovery Series has combined whiskies from Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Georgia, and even Ontario, Canada. Discovery #11 is the first time since Discovery #4 the series has featured all Kentucky bourbons.
“We used our bottled-in-bond recipe from the new Origin Series of our estate-distilled bourbon, however we wanted to explore a different take so the whiskey aged its entire life in French oak barrels as opposed to the traditional American oak,” Callaway added. “On their own, these stood as three tremendous bourbons, but some real magic occurred when they came together.”
Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s second new release is a collaboration with Mark and Sherri Carter, and the Napa Valley winemaker Carter Cellars.
For this release, a custom blend of mature bourbon and rye rested in ten Carter Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet barrels for an additional 14 months. The wine barrels were freshly emptied, to “impart maximum flavor” and they were separated and rotated throughout the rickhouse multiple times.
“Carter Cellars has always shot for excellence in our award-winning wines, and we have a long history of producing 100-point wines. This has been a wonderful collaboration bringing together our teams who are all continuously on the pursuit of perfection,” said Mark Carter of Carter Cellars.
Discovery #11 offers official tasting notes of “rainier cherry, butterscotch, brown sugar and roasted peanut on the nose, then a spirited palate of toffee and cinnamon spice, followed by a finish of ripe red fruit and oak.” It is presented at 118.1 proof (59.05% ABV) and offered at an SRP of $139.99.
Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s Carter Cellars Collaborative Series, meanwhile, offers a taste of what’s described as “a premium and complex aroma of cassis, violet, cinnamon and leather. On the palate it presents a rush of dark fruit, roasted pecan and vanilla cream that leads to a luscious lightly tannic finish.” It is presented at 108.3 proof (54.15% ABV) and offered at an SRP of $159.99. Roughly 225 9L cases are available at the Bardstown Bourbon Co. gift shop and select Kentucky retailers.
For more information please visit https://seelbachs.com/