Bardstown Hokkaido Mizunara Oak Barrel Finish Distillery Reserve
Bardstown’s Hokkaido Distillery Reserve Mizunara Oak Finish is a brand new, location-exclusive release. But is it worth the trip? Our review uncovers the story behind the bottle.
Jeff Bogursky, innovator turned wine seller, runs vintagekosher.com for rare bottles.
Bardstown Bourbon Company is always experimenting. This latest edition is a blend of aged American whiskeys (9-18 yrs), then finished in Mizunara Oak for a further 28 months to produce a fascinating expression. Bottled at 54.65% ABV and available exclusively at Bardstown Bourbon Company’s gift shop and Lousiville tasting room, this bottle further extends Bardstown’s extensive reputation. The source whiskies are 47% 15 Year Kentucky (Mash Bill: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley), 33% 14 Year Kentucky (Mash Bill: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley), 15% 9 Year Indiana (Mash Bill: 45% Corn, 51% Rye, 4% Malted Barley), and 5% 18 Year Tennessee (Mash Bill: 84% Corn, 8% Rye, 8% Malted Barley). The bottle is the standard Bardstown custom shape and is packaged in an attractive modern Japanese-style cardboard box.
The color of the darkest orange in a sunset, veering toward ruby
Sawdust, sugar syrup, lily, and barbecue-roasted corn.
Crushed rasberries, burnt corn syrup, warm explosion of oak noises on a solid corn base, hard icing off a cruller, a certain umami.
Long, so long, with the respectful heat taking a long time to fade. Lightly sweet.
The mizunara brings its own woodiness to the product, but first, I need to say that the blend of straight whiskeys, ranging from 9 yrs to 18 yrs, and coming from three states is simply perfect. It’s got fire but lots of what my father would have called “class.” Now feed that master blend into 28 months of further aging in mizunara oak from Japan’s Hokkaido, and you have the Hokkaido Barrel Finish. A complex, layered, sweet and savory dram that is as rewarding as I had hoped.
Bardstown’s slogan is ‘Never Stand Still’, and I have to say that almost every bottle they produce is innovative and genuinely tasty.
Jeff Bogursky
Jeff Bogursky is a restless innovator and entrepreneur. He started one of New York’s first digital agencies and developed software applications for decades, before simpliying his life by becoming a wine and spirits seller. His website vintagekosher.com specializes in hard to find and good to drink bottles.
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