Bardstown Bottled in Bond comes from the Bardstown Bourbon Co. who in 2014 began construction on 100 acres of farmland in the Bourbon Capital of the World. Today, Bardstown Bourbon has the capacity of more than 18 million proof gallons. Their campus boasts three column stills and 48 fermentation tanks, a state-of-the-art bottling and logistics facility and aging warehouses accommodating nearly 2 million barrels. In addition to growing capacity for the Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s award-winning owned brand, the growth supports the needs of more than 300 custom distillation and bottling partners.
Let’s face it, Bardstown Bourbon is a major player in the bourbon market. Living in New Hampshire you would never know it exists as it still hasn’t made its way to the shelves at the state controlled liquor stores. Over the last year I have not hid my disdain for this poorly run operation. I despise it so much that I gave away a gift certificate that someone gave me because I refuse to step foot in their stores. Instead, I travel about 30 minutes futher away to a store in Massachusetts that has a great selection at MSRP and a wonderful program for consumers to get allocated bourbon.
According to the Bardstown website, The Bardstown Bottled-In-Bond is, “Honoring tradition and authenticity, our Origin Series Wheated Bottled-in-Bond 6-year expression presents the best locally-sourced Kentucky corn and wheat grains. This expression features 20% wheat in the mash bill, creating a modern expression of beautifully balanced bourbon.”
Bourbon Review: Bardstown Bottled in Bond Wheated
ABV: 50% (100 Proof)
Age: 6 Years
Distillation Date: Spring, 2018
Mash Bill: 68% Corn, 20% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley
Distillery: Bardstown Bourbon Company
Location: Bardstown, KY (USA)
The Nose: Despite coming in at 100 proof the aroma from the glass lacks any perceived heat. There is a subtle melted sugar sweetness, honey and wheat. None of them really stand out but are at the same time easily identifiable. After lettering the glass for a bit there is a subtle buttery richness present as well.
The Taste: Subtle is the story here. There is a confectionary sugar sweetness on the initial sip once you get past the initial wheat forward profile that also has a touch of green peppercorns. Subsequent sips see a touch of dried peaches, cinnamon and liquid sugar which makes me wonder how this would work in an Old Fashioned. Nothing really jumps out and grabs you, however.
The Finish: Like the sips, nothing really creates a wow moment. There is wheat on the finish as expected with notes of oak and a lingering, but short finish of green peppercorns. The only thing that stands out is a dried bread, almost melba toast taste that lingers for a moment.
Conclusion: If your brand has a Bottled in Bond offering I will always buy it. It has become my favorite style to collect followed by barrel proof entries. The Bardstown Bottled in Bond while functional falls considerably short of what I look for in a BiB offer. I do find it interesting a lot of casual bourbon drinkers don’t know what Bottled in Bond is, so I created a post that explains it. But anyway, I digress, the Bardstown Entry while not being bad by any stretch of the imagination is a tad bit generic that lacks excitement which is disappointing. I’ll continue to explore offerings from Bardstown Bourbon Company but when this bottle is finished, I don’t foresee giving it space on my limited bar. Unless, I decide to try another bottling season for comparison.
Score: 86
Price: $49.99 (750ml)
Side Note: I love the fact that they place the distilling date, age statement and mash bills on their Bottled in Bond offerings.
