Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery Series #1 Bourbon Review

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B+

Since Bardstown Bourbon Company had not just a working distillery, but actually a rather large working distillery, in operation prior to launching their own brands, they had a greater range of choices available to them than most newcomers to the whiskey business. They could have chosen to release a young, but entirely in-house product, but didn’t (at least not yet). Instead, they went for a mix of all-sourced or part-sourced and partly in-house whiskeys.

This first installment in the Discovery Series is an example of the former, and represents a blend of four sourced bourbons… and some very interesting sources at that:

• 75% of it is an 11 year, 7 month old bourbon made in Kentucky from a mash bill of 74% corn, 18% rye and 8% barley.
• 10% is a 10 year old Kentucky bourbon made with 75% corn, 13% rye and 12% barley, which to me says “mature Wild Turkey.”
• 10% is the 5 year old version of the same aged whiskey comprising 3/4s of the total; so, 85% comes from a single source, but in youngish and a very mature versions.
• 5% is a 13 year old Kentucky bourbon made with 78% corn, 12% rye and 10% malted barley, which to me says “middle-aged Heaven Hill.”

So, the whiskey is actually quite mature on the whole, and bottled at cask strength at 121.21 proof.

The Bourbon
In the glass, the BBCo Discovery 1 (phrased like that, it sounds like something from 2001: A Space Odyssey) has a solid amber appearance. The swish and coat leaves behind a curtain of slow-falling tears.

Taking a sniff reveals a whiskey that is a touch hot, but also quite rich with berries and vanilla sweetness, plus a sliver of oak. That Discovery #1 comes across as a little hot shouldn’t be surprising, given that it sits above the 60% ABV line. What is surprising is that it’s only a little hot, and for me sat in a place where I could go either way with the water. I chose to dial it down with a few drops for the nose and a few more for the rest.

The palate is again hot, but a lighter touch than the nose this time (and consequently why I dialed it down with a bit more water). The whiskey shifted from where it stood at the nose into something better balanced, the spiciness and woodiness coming more into their own as a counterpoise to the berry and vanilla sweetness. Even so, it’s still sweet and fruity enough to make for a rich, luscious drinking experience. From there, the finish goes down at length and leaves a spicy trail.

The Price
BBCo Discovery Series #1 will cost you between $130 and $140 a bottle.