Skip to main content

Bardstown Bourbon is releasing Cathedral French Oak bourbon

Bardstown's new bourbon is matured in 300-year-old wood

Bardstown
Bardstown

There aren’t many distilleries as innovative and exciting as Bardstown Bourbon Company. The Kentucky-based distillery is all about pushing the boundaries of what a whiskey can be. Its most recent release definitely lives up to those lofty expectations.

Bardstown Cathedral French Oak Bourbon

Bardstown
Bardstown

Bardstown Cathedral French Oak Bourbon is the inaugural launch in that new Distillery Reserve collection. It’s a blend of 100% Kentucky bourbons that were matured between nine and eighteen years. It gets its name because this well-curated blend is finished for fourteen months in 300-year-old French oak from the Bercé Forest in the Loire Valley in France. To put it into perspective, the trees were planted during the reign of Louis XIV (circa 1715). The wood was harvested to restore Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Recommended Videos

This creates a memorable, complex 110.1-proof whiskey that (according to the brand) begins with aromas of maple, baked cherry, cinnamon, and cedar. The palate is a mix of vanilla cream and rose petals. The finish is all toasted oak and crème brûlée.

“The core of our brand has always been innovation, transparency and collaboration but these values mean little without respecting and building on the foundation of tradition,” Dan Callaway, head of new product development for Bardstown Bourbon Co. said in a press release.

“Distillery Reserve expresses that reverent, yet pioneering spirit, offering us a platform to showcase immense creativity and house some of the experiments tucked throughout our warehouses.”

Where can I buy it?

Pouring Scotch
urbazon / iStock

Distillery Reserve Cathedral French Oak will be available in limited quantities for $99.99 for a 375ml bottle beginning on February 28 only at the distillery’s gift shops in Bardstown and Louisville.

Christopher Osburn
Christopher Osburn is a food and drinks writer located in the Finger Lakes Region of New York. He's been writing professional
How to make a Mountain Mule cocktail during Bourbon Heritage Month
A couple of people enjoy a bottle of TINCUP whiskey on a snowy mountain day.

It's September, a month full of great produce and cool celebrations like Hispanic Heritage Month. It's also Bourbon Heritage Month, which pays respect to the classic grain spirit. And we're raising a glass filled with a fitting cocktail.

As chillier weather arrives, we're seeking comforting flavors like chocolate, coffee, and vanilla. It's the perfect backdrop for a good bourbon (and not just another template for an espresso Martini recipe). It's Bourbon Heritage Month, after all.

Read more
What sourced whiskey really means — and why it deserves more respect
What “sourced whiskey” really means — and why it’s not a bad thing
Whiskey glass

When it comes to whiskey terms, there are few as divisive as “sourced.” It’s the type of term that demands debate among whiskey drinkers. Some drinkers are for it, and others are completely against it. But is it a good thing for the industry or a bad thing? It’s both a way for brands to release expressions quickly, but also a practice that can be deceptive and misleading. It’s time to get to the bottom of the stigma of sourced whiskey.

What is sourced whiskey?

Read more
Heaven Hill announced the 2025 release of its popular Grain to Glass whiskey series
Heaven Hill

Recently, Heaven Hill announced the launch of the newest edition to its Grain to Glass series. The 2025 release is a limited-edition small batch Kentucky straight wheated bourbon. When we say wheated bourbon, we really mean it. To say this whiskey has a high percentage of wheat in its mash bill is a major understatement.

Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey

Read more