Bardstown Bourbon Company Distillery Reserve Cascadia Garryana Oak Barrel Finish

Bardstown Bourbon Company continually tests the boundaries of modern whiskey creation. Their Distillery Reserve series captures this restless spirit perfectly. Cascadia Garryana Oak Barrel Finish merges Kentucky tradition with Pacific Northwest terroir. The blending team selected three distinct bourbons, aged nine and ten years, forming a highly complex base. They partnered with Oregon Barrel Works for an extremely rare finishing process. Garryana oak simply cannot be commercially farmed. It's a scarce wood that coopers source strictly from fallen trees or sanctioned harvests. Its dense grain structure profoundly alters the maturation environment, slowing oxidation while imparting deep spice notes reminiscent of robust French oak.

Execution matters just as much as the raw materials. Ten custom Garryana barrels received a grueling three-hour hand-toast. This coaxed out the deepest spice compounds trapped within the dense staves. The blended bourbon rested inside these specific casks for ten months. They didn't rush the integration. Summer heat forced maximum extraction. Maturation took place on the blistering sixth floor of a Bardstown warehouse, pushing the whiskey deep into the toasted red layer of the wood. Blenders gradually proofed the liquid over time to merge the disparate mashbills and assertive oak sugars seamlessly. The resulting spirit completely reshapes standard finishing expectations.

• Blend of three bourbons aged 9 and 10 years
• Finished for 10 months in rare Oregon white oak
• Custom barrels hand-toasted for three hours
• Bottled at a robust 107.5 proof

[[TASTING_NOTES]]

Nose: Decadent maple heavily layered over toasted oak, toffee, and a rich vanilla crème.

Palate: A full-bodied rush of baked cherry and butterscotch gives way to a dry, complex cigar box earthiness.

Finish: Medium tannins firmly coat the mouth, leaving behind a lingering essence of rich wood sugar and clove.

[[FOOD_PAIRING]]

Garryana oak imparts a robust spice profile that demands equally bold flavors on the plate. Pair this bourbon with a pan-seared duck breast topped with a dark cherry reduction. The rich meat easily absorbs the medium tannins. Fruit nuances beautifully mirror the whiskey's prominent baked cherry palate. Try it with warm pecan pie. The decadent maple and butterscotch notes effortlessly amplify the caramelized dessert sugars, creating an indulgent combination that highlights the rare wood finish.

Nose: Decadent maple heavily layered over toasted oak, toffee, and a rich vanilla crème.

Palate: A full-bodied rush of baked cherry and butterscotch gives way to a dry, complex cigar box earthiness.

Finish: Medium tannins firmly coat the mouth, leaving behind a lingering essence of rich wood sugar and clove.

Garryana oak imparts a robust spice profile that demands equally bold flavors on the plate. Pair this bourbon with a pan-seared duck breast topped with a dark cherry reduction. The rich meat easily absorbs the medium tannins. Fruit nuances beautifully mirror the whiskey's prominent baked cherry palate. Try it with warm pecan pie. The decadent maple and butterscotch notes effortlessly amplify the caramelized dessert sugars, creating an indulgent combination that highlights the rare wood finish.