Bardstown Bourbon Company, a distilling partner for many whiskey brands, recently introduced two renditions of its own - now, flagship brands - Bardstown Origin Series Straight Bourbon and Bardstown Origin Series Wheated Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon.
A Favorite Spot to Visit
If you've not experienced Bardstown Bourbon Company on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail yet, I highly recommend it. There are several tours available, including a Whiskey Thieving Experience. There are several sites to visit in Bardstown, including the Heaven Hill Experience, Willett, Limestone Branch, Log Still, Lux Row, Preservation, and of course, Bardstown Bourbon Company.
BBC recently joined forces with the Green River Distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky, and produces Jefferson, High West, Belle Meade, Hirsch, Calumet, James E. Pepper, Cyrus Noble, and its own lineup of Fusion blended whiskeys and, now, Origin Series.
The Tasting
Similar to its Fusion and Straight Bourbon brands, this Bottled-in-Bond bourbon fills a tall, rectangular bottle. A black label with white and gold lettering shares that this bourbon is produced from a wheated mash bill containing 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. The label further shares that this has been aged for 6 years (2 years longer than the Bottled-in-Bond Act requires) and was distilled in the Fall of 2016. In addition, the corn and wheat are locally sourced.
As a reminder, to conform to the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, the following standards need to be met. It must be :
produced in the United States
a product of 1 distillation season, by a single distiller, at a single location
labeled to identify the distillery where it was distilled
aged in a federally bonded warehouse under U.S. government supervision for at least 4 years
bottled at 100 proof
From the website we’re expecting baked peach with cream meets cocoa with hints of lemon, an indulgent, smooth mouthfeel of stone fruit and toffee leads to an alluring and enduring finish. I found this for $49 at a large regional liquor chain. Master Distiller Steve Nally has been putting up some fine bourbon; let's see if this bourbon is another hit.
Eye: Dark amber
Nose: Vanilla bean ice cream topping warm apple-peach cobbler with crunchy oatmeal topping and a dash of nutmeg.
Palate: Exceptionally subtle and sweet with vanilla, soft spice, and gentle oak. There are secondary notes of fruit and marshmallow fluff.
Finish: Long, continuing with the vanilla notes, and hints of hay earthy and graham cracker.
Overall: Before coming to Bardstown Bourbon Company, Steve Nally was at Maker's Mark for more than three decades, culminating as Master Distiller, and learning everything about the production process. It's clearly evident that Steve carried with him the skills to deliver on an easy-sipping wheated bourbon.
If you've tried some other Bottled-in-Bond products and found them too bold or spicy, this one is exceptionally smooth and sweet. For those that find Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond too sweet for their tastes, this is one to consider as vanilla, oak, and spice are balanced nicely, without one overpowering the other.