Bardstown Bourbon Co. Fusion Series #8

Appearance: Auburn color, fast, thick legs Nose: Light caramel (almost more brown sugar like) and sourdough bread. Slight cherry or sweet fruit aroma as well. Palate: There's a definite astringentness to it that is a little hard to get past and get other flavors. I think this comes from the 70% of the makeup being from 4 year old juice. But getting past that, it's thin and not a lot of mouthfeel - a little coating on the tip of the tongue and the front of the roof of the mouth, but that's about it. Honey and a sweet cherry pop out at me first. There's a light, sweet oak flavor. Some spice in there - not really like a baking spice to me, but just more of the spice you get from a rye whiskey. Finish: There's a toasty/smokiness that lingers a little (To be fair, I had smoked brisket about an hour and half previous to this sip, and I can't decide if that is either *enhancing* that profile in the bourbon, or if it's actually just lingering from earlier. I hadn't noticed it the previous few times I've sipped from this bottle though.) A sweet oak lingers as well. A very mild hug going down, if not at all. Rating: 4.7/10 on t8ke scale Overall: low flavor, high astringentness, light hug and finish.

Blend of two four year Bardstown bourbon mashbills plus 30% of a 12 year Kentucky bourbon (exact mashbills of each in the photo below). 95.5 proof. Been holding this for 7 months, time to taste, neat. Light copper color and light coating legs in the glass. Nose is light: floral grain, sweet fruit, and vanilla, with a hint of smoke char in the background. Sweet stone fruit and caramel corn, with a followup of tannic oak, ethanol, and grassy and baking spices. Cherry and peppery mint. Finish is long and dry, with light fruity sweetness, tingling mint, sharp tannic oak, and dry/spicy grass. Clean, not sour, aftertaste. An ice cube brings out the "juicy fruit" flavors by tamping down the oak and spice. That's ok too, but I kinda like the battling sweet/tannic/spice flavors when neat--nice balance of competing elements in a bourbon that's lighter (95.5 proof, isn't that light) than the barrel proofs I seem to surround myself with these days. The price is ok for a Bardstown, maybe a little high for a blend, but no regrets about this purchase. As always, I will revisit this review as I taste-down this bottle.

I’ve wanted to try Bardstown for quite some time but unfortunately, they really don’t distribute to where I live. I was in Louisville for a business trip and had the opportunity to sample several expressions from their line-up. To be sure, there’s some fantastic stuff at their higher end. But this one really stood out for me as unique and different, and that it is reasonably priced is icing on the cake. On the nose: bold and bright honey and caramel, apricot, hints of baked cherry pie. Palate: Sweetness in the form of apricots, black plums, slightly salty caramel. Sudden and nice hit of pepper that continues through the finish. Balanced. Finish: Lingering pepper, fruit, and chewy caramel. Overall: Interesting, exciting and truly enjoyable each pour. Highly recommend!

I had this neat in a glencairn glass. Nose is full of fruit like cherries, blueberries, some caramel and sugar. I love the fruit. I could smell this ALL day, it is fantastic. The palate is just as fruity with some vanilla coming through. The finish continues with fruit and some great spice, like a really good rye. Wow, this is delicious. This is my first Bardstown pour and I’m a fan. I’d highly recommend this bottle!

This is a good, easy sipping bourbon. It is light overall, the spice creeps but does not burn. It is packed with juicy flavor and holds on to a dark citrus note throughout. Its juicy like biting into an orange. This might be the smoothest, easy sipping bourbon ive had. Not dry in the slightest. Very impressed with my first bardstown. I would love to see the other iterations of this

Sawdust nose with vanilla, cherry, a hint of vinegar and something flowery, maybe violets. Palate gives cherry, vanilla, pastry and chocolate, but balanced, not a sugar bomb. Oak and almond in the background. Savory pastry finish.