It has been a while since I had a bottle from Bardstown Bourbon Company. There has been a lot of interesting releases over the last year, and I was looking at the Hokus Pokus app and didn’t realize until then that the Bardstown Origin Series bottled in bond was a six year old wheated bourbon. This bottle cost me $53, which is a very nice price for Bardstown Bourbon Company. Unlike some of their other releases, this bourbon was released using only bourbon made in house. The mashbill is 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley, which is the same mashbill as Old Fitzgerald.

The color is a nice amber and is correct for the age of the bourbon. On the swirl is a thin film with gravity defying legs; very nice oily bourbon. On the nose is baked cinnamon rolls, a hint of dark fruit, and some oak. The palate is all very Pappy Van Winkle; cinnamon rolls, vanilla cream, light pepper corn, and just the right amount of oak. On the finish, the pepper notes, a hint of cherry altoids, and lovely oak linger and linger.

I have to admit, I think this wheated bourbon better than Old Fitzgerald 7 year old. I personally think it is the difference of not using the Beam family yeast, which can often have negative effects on the flavor of the bourbon for my palate. It is also more flavorful than Weller Special Reserve or 107, and has a richer mouthfeel. I attribute this partially to the low 108 barrel entry proof, which means that when the bourbon came out very little water was added before bottling to reach 100 proof as opposed to Weller Special Reserve in particular.

I am impressed with Bardstown Bourbon Company’s release of a completely in house made wheated bourbon at a really nice price. I am going to see if Hokus can get some more; I’d like to have this regularly on my bar.