Review: Bardstown Bourbon Discovery Series Double Barreled
Editor’s Note: This review of Bardstown Bourbon Discovery Series Double Barreled reflects the personal opinions of Editor Kyle Swartz. This bottle was sent to him as a media sample.
The thirteenth release in Bardstown Bourbon’s Discovery Series is a blend of four bourbons ranging in age from 8 to 15 years old. As the name suggests, this was double barreled in American and Hungarian oak. It’s 110.8 proof. The suggested retail price is $139.99 per 750-ml. bottle.
Nose
Rich and complex. Loads of vanilla, caramel, toffee, and red fruits. Notes of sawdust and mixed nuts. Layered and inviting, this is a phenomenal nose.
Palate
That richness continues onto the palate where it blooms into a big mouthfeel that coats the palate warmly with brown spice. Flavors of brown butter, caramel, toffee, clove, and red fruits. Touch of tobacco and mixed nuts. Extremely well balanced with a number of flavors complementing one another rather than competing for attention.
Finish
Cinnamon emerges along with dark char and mixed nuts as the finish concludes this whiskey quite nicely. Medium Kentucky hug, but a long finish.
Upshot
Bardstown loves to experiment, which can lead to winners and losers, with this bottled firmly in the former. It’s rich, complex, balanced, spicy but easy sipping. This is one of the better bottles I’ve had from Bardstown. Obviously the price is high, but at least you’re getting great juice. I actually toured Bardstown again last week during the Kentucky Bourbon Fest. Besides seeing how this enormous, state-of-the-art distillery continues to expand in a thoughtful, effective manner, I also witnessed numerous happy customers snapping up this bottle. If you’ve enjoyed Bardstown and don’t mind splurging, this is an easy buy.
Kyle Swartz is editor of Beverage Dynamics. Reach him at kswartz@epgacceleration.com. Read his recent pieces, 8 Beverage Alcohol Trends in 2025 and Whiskey Review: Four Roses 2025 Limited Edition Small Batch.
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