What we’re drinking: The Hokkaido Mizunara Oak Barrel Finish expression from Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Distillery Reserve collection
Where it’s from: Named 2023 Worldwide Whiskey Producer of the Year by IWSC and Brand Innovator and Distiller of the Year at the 2025 Icons of Whisky, Bardstown Bourbon Company is part of the newly-reorganized Lofted Spirits company (which also includes Green River Distilling Co. and Lofted Custom Spirits, a custom whiskey production business). It is based in — you guessed it — Bardstown, KY.
Why we’re drinking this: We’re big fans of Bardstown’s limited-edition releases, and I’m personally a sucker for anything aged in mizunara, a slow-growing Japanese oak that’s rather porous and grows in a winding, twisted manner in the Hokkaido province. The wood is hard to work with, and barrels can cost a small fortune (see below). But it’s worth it, as the oak often provides additional notes of sandalwood, coconut and cloves that you wouldn’t find in, say, American oak barrels.
This is the second release in the distillery’s Distillery Reserve series, which consists of one-time experimental releases sold in smaller bottles and limited quantities. For this release, Master Blender Dan Callaway sourced Mizanura oak barrels from Hokkaido, Japan, which he used to finish aging a blend of different aged bourbons and one rye. The second maturation in the mizanura took an additional 28 months.
“Mizunara is a relatively new technique for me,” says Callaway, who had some learnings along the way. After starting the second maturation in a custom room that led to wide temperature swings and rather quick extraction of the whiskey, the barrels were moved to the center of a different rickhouse on the first floor to ease the maturation process. “Another fun fact I learned is that it’s the lowest tannin of any wood,” he adds. “So you can age for a long time, and it won’t give you that grippiness.”
Let’s see how this meetup of Kentucky and Japan plays out.
The mizunara barrels were moved between different rickhouses to ease maturation.
Bardstown Bourbon Co.
How it tastes: Coming in at 109.3 proof, this release takes full advantage of the mizunara without being overwhelmed by the wood. I was worried the incense character would dominate, but this tastes like a balanced, rye-forward bourbon with hints of sandalwood, cinnamon, coconut and modest oak spice. If you’re into classic bourbon notes (vanilla, caramel, cherry, etc.) they’re here but subtle. Wait a few minutes or add a drop of water to bring some of those characteristics out.
Fun fact: Only six barrels were used in this release, perhaps because mizunara oak barrels can cost upward of $6,000 each. “It’s the rarest oak out there — only a little over 200 barrels are produced each year,” Callaway says.
Where to buy: Extremely limited in quantity (and size!), the 375ml bottles of Bardstown Bourbon’s Hokkaido Japanese Mizunara Oak Barrel Finish are only available in Bardstown’s distillery gift shop and their Louisville tasting room for $100 (and also to members of The Reserve, Bardstown’s whiskey club).
Bardstown Hokkaido Mizunara Oak Barrel Finish
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AloJapan.com