Bardstown Bourbon Company is the most modern distillery in the epicenter of bourbon country, a relatively new operation that is contract distilling, making its own whiskey, and sourcing whiskey from other distilleries which it blends and finishes in-house. The distillery’s Collaborative Series, which uses barrels from different wineries, distilleries, and breweries to finish whiskey in, has three expensive new members that were recently added to the lineup.
The first release is a collaboration with Louisville’s Goodwood Brewery. This is an 11-year-old bourbon from Indiana (75% corn, 21% rye, 4% barley) that was finished in Goodwood Brandy Barrel Honey Ale casks for 18 months. The result is a very interesting bourbon, reminiscent of a wine cask finish but with more honey and fig notes than dried fruit. There will be another release in 2020 from the two brands, a bourbon finished in Walnut Brown Ale.
The other two releases (both have the same mash bill as the Goodwood release) are both joint projects with Louisville’s Copper & Kings distillery, an operation that focuses on apple brandy but also makes a few gin and liqueur expressions as well. The two companies have worked together before — in 2018, they released a Mistelle barrel-finished bourbon and an American brandy barrel-finished bourbon. The new releases keep the same combination of barrels but with different whiskey and a few new twists. The first is 11-year-old Indiana bourbon that was finished in apple brandy barrels for nearly two years, almost more of a double cask expression than a finish. The second is a 10-year-old Indiana bourbon that is finished in muscat Mistelle barrels for a year and a half, then re-barreled in new American oak casks for another 19 months. According to BBC, expect notes of smoke, dark chocolate, and rich grape on the palate. This release will only be available at the BBC gift shop. “This is ridiculous spirit,” said Copper & Kings founder Joe Heron in a prepared statement. “It is no hyperbole to call this a luxury bourbon. It fits the description like a hand in a very expensive calfskin leather glove.”
Bardstown Bourbon Company Copper & Kings American Apple Brandy is available for an SRP of $124.99. Bardstown Bourbon Company Copper & Kings Double Muscat Mistelle is available at the distillery for an SRP of $349.99. Bardstown Bourbon Company Goodwood Brewing Company Honey Ale is available for an SRP of $124.99. Currently, BBC products can be found in Kentucky, Indiana, California, Tennessee, Florida, and Illinois.
