Bardstown Bourbon Company Phifer Pavitt Reserve Bourbon Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B+

In my mind, the first proper in-house expression to come from Bardstown Bourbon Company, under their own brand name, was this wine barrel-finished bourbon. It marked a rather early transition (just a couple of years into operations) from being a contract producer and collaborator to having their own products, even if this initial example is based on sourced whiskey. It has since been followed by blends of BBCo’s own whiskey with older, sourced whiskey, such as their Fusion #1.

Like many of the products from Craft Barrell Spirits, BBCo has tapped Tennessee-made bourbon (presumably from Tullahoma, * but this has never been confirmed for either company), aged for nine years in this case, and finished them in wine barrels. Those French Oak barrels came from the Phifer Pavitt Winery of Napa Valley, and had previously been used to give Cabernet Sauvignon three years of aging. So, the finishing wood in question is very well seasoned indeed.

The BBCo crew, led by former Maker’s Mark Master Distiller Steve Nally, decided the whiskey was ready after 19 months in those wine casks, so the finishing period was quite long. Interestingly, the timing suggests the company started the finishing of this bourbon mere months after they started operations with their first still. It’s bottled at barrel proof (107/53.5% ABV).

The Bourbon
In the glass, the whiskey has a deep, rich amber appearance, while the coat yields some substantial, thick legs. The nose sits squarely inside traditional bourbon territory, with ample brown sugar and vanilla and a middling touch of cinnamon. The long wine barrel finish just begins to make its appearance here in the scent with a note of plum and a little more toasty oak than one might ordinarily expect.

The flavor profile shows more wine influence, while staying well within the bounds of subtlety. It also remains solidly, richly inside traditional bourbon territory, so it’s brown sugar and candy corn sweet, a touch spicy and a touch oaky, only moreso on the last two notes, and with an added dimension of dark fruits. That last bit adds to the richness and the complexity, playing up earthiness while adding to the sweetness.

The finish turns sharply to spiciness, however. After making a strong announcement, it then fades away swiftly to barrel char.

The Price
Expect to pay between $125 and $135 for a bottle.

* The mash bill for these bourbons is 84% corn, the same as George Dickel, and recall that any Tennessee Whiskey can be named as a bourbon instead with nothing more than telling the brand owner telling the TTB that is what they want to call it.