Neat. Sample. This is my first taste of the Fusion series from Bardstown. It’s an interesting blend of 13 year old and 3 year old bourbons. It’s an interesting approach to utilize your own juice in blends like this but I wonder if the 3 year can be repaired by the 13 year. Hmm, the nose is simultaneously young and old. There is a fresh pine note but also this dark chocolate, oak element. It’s simultaneously dark and bright like two different songs playing at the same time. There is a very nice salted caramel note. Some nice cinnamon too. Little nutmeg. Some vanilla. Not getting any fruit. Texture is a bit thin but it’s oily enough to coat. This is primarily a caramel experience. A bright sweet light caramel captures the tongue and transitions to a darker caramel paired with the cinnamon. It lightens up again into a vanilla but the cinnamon remains through the finish. The pine note is growing as I sip on it more, so the young whiskeys shine through most of the experience. There is a hint of chocolate and oak on the very backend of the finish now though. Glad I got to try it but this is a one and done for me on Discovery Series 3. Can’t see paying 60ish for this compared to so much better competition in the $40-60 range. It does avoid the craft distillery bubble gum note, so that is promising for the future of their own juice I suppose.
About this bottle
The third release in the Fusion Series from BBCo. features three components. The largest component is 40% 13 year-old bourbon from Kentucky with a 74% corn, 18% rye and 8% malted barley mash bill. The remaining two components are three year-old bourbons distilled by BBCo. themselves, including 42% of a high-rye bourbon mash bill, and 18% of a wheated mash bill. The release is bottled at 98.9 proof.
How it tastes
Measured across 14 flavor axes. Tap a note to find other bottles that lead with it.
Reviews
Showing the most detailed of 38 parsed reviews.
Nose: Not much Palate: Burnt butter, bitter nut shells, rubbing alcohol Finish: Ouch! Very hot for the proof, and not in a good way. Picked up two right away because we don't normally get Bardstown in NC, but wishing I had only bought 1 Hoping the Fusion #4 that I also have is better than this. Also, REALLY hoping the Discovery Series lives up to hype since it is WAY more $$$. Sigh...
Proofy on the nose, but there's a lot of younger bourbon in here. The rye notes are obvious. Palate: grapes. A mix of red and white. A little bit of sawdust. Again, heavy on the rye, but tastes like it has some age to it. 30% 11 year old whiskey so that makes sense Finish: Same same. Older rye whiskey. A little bit of citrus. Lemon and orange
Uncorking- Nose- Caramel tart apples, cider, dark honey. Taste- Cedar, charred oak, vanilla, cherry. Pie crust. Hints of roasted nuts. Some leather. Bits of spice. Finish- cherry and oak wood, vanilla, orange zest Surprisingly tasty. Just a touch a spice and spike. Nice warming hug. Lots of flavors to chew on.
Excited for this to include some BBC’s own whiskeys. Like the main tasting note for this I totally get the chocolate covered pretzels nose. I continue to look forward to what they come out with. This bottle was a gift from the wife for our first born, so it’s extra enjoyed :)
Really enjoyed this bourbon. Well blended to offer some vanilla sweetness up front, but growing more complex with caramel and cinnamon coming through to a nice balanced finish. Smooth enough to sip, but spicy enough to satisfy and remind you its got a good rye build.
32 more reviews were collected for this bottle. The longest ones are shown first.
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