Review: Bardstown Bourbon 2026 Discovery Series

Note: This review of Bardstown Bourbon 2026 Discovery Series reflects the personal opinions of Editor Kyle Swartz. This bottle was sent to him as a media sample.

This is a blend of blend of 7-, 10-, and 11-year-old bourbons that underwent a four-month finishing period in custom-made Garryana oak. Also known as Oregon White Oak, Garryana is native to the Pacific Northwest and grows most comfortably in the Willamette Valley. Known for its strength and scarcity, its dense grain slows oxidation and evaporation and lends flavors like clove and nutmeg. The suggested retail for Bardstown Bourbon 2026 Discovery Series is $139.99 per 750-ml. bottle. It comes bottled at 112.8 proof. I reviewed this with Greg Radawich, Director of Brewing Operations at New England Brewing Company, whose tasting notes are included.

Nose

Mixed nuts, milk chocolate, molasses, clove, nutmeg and caramel. Rich with dark sweetness.

Palate

Well balanced, with mixed nuts, brown sugars, caramel, cashew butter and baking spices. Earthy and spicy, tannic, though still drinks smoothly. This is baking spices, not boozy heat.

Finish

Brown sugars, baking spices, cinnamon and dark char. Medium Kentucky hug, but a nice long finish propelled by a bloom of baking spices.

Upshot

You never know what you’re going to get with experimental releases, but Discovery 2026 is a winner. With all those baking spices, nuttiness, and dark sweet notes, this is a classic Garryana finish. If someone wanted to know what a Garryana barrel tasted like when handled correctly, I would pour them this bottle. Finishing aside, the 2026 Discovery Series is also wonderfully balanced, with no speed bumps throughout. This is a well-made whiskey, smooth, fine-tuned and ready to impress. I poured this at a big pool party last weekend filled with lawyers (aka drinkers) and it was everyone’s favorite whiskey of the evening. Obviously I understand that $140 is not cheap, but if you’re a fan of Bardstown or Garryana, this is a buy.

Kyle Swartz is editor of Beverage Dynamics. Reach him at kswartz@epgacceleration.com. Read his recent reviews, Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series #17: High Angel’s Share and Jameson Distiller’s Batch Irish Whiskey.

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