Review #6: Old Bardstown Bottled in Bond

Welcome to our Shelter in Bourbon series. You may not be able to go outside, but at least you don't have to be socially distant from your bottles.

Old Bardstown Bourbon

Intro:

We stumbled upon this bourbon somewhat accidentally. We stopped at the Willett Distillery to see the distillery and pick up some of their Pot Still Reserve. We were too late for a tour so we decided to pay $15 each and join a tasting they have. They start to talk about this bourbon, that it costs in the mid-$20 range, it’s a great sipping bourbon, and can only be purchased in Kentucky due to its higher alcohol content (50% by Volume and 100 Proof). Well we knew right then we had to try it.

Let’s be honest, we normally wouldn’t grab this off the shelf, if nothing else because the bottle blends in with many others. It’s an unassuming bottle (read label and bottle blend in with everything else on the shelf). Classic case of, “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” We are glad we did though and we’ll seek out a bottle or two every time we head back to Kentucky.

The Backstory:

We’ve talked a bit about the Willet history here, so no need to repeat. The bottled in bond version of this bourbon is 50% ABV (100 proof). The Bottle in Bond and 90 proof Old Bardstown were released in 2016. Bother are reproductions of the recipe that was in the portfolio when Thompson Willett was president (1940s). It has a higher corn and rye mash, resulting in the sweeter tastes.

Tasting Notes:

According to Willett: The nose is “Fun Dip” candy, that sugary stick dipped into cherry flavoring. The palate is a cherry hard candy, oily mouth feel, vanilla caramel candies and notes of oak.

According to Him: This is a nice sipping bourbon for after dinner with a chocolate or watching a sunset with a nice cigar. Pro tip, once you make your cut, dip the mouth end of the cigar in the bourbon. You’ll get that nice bourbon flavor with every puff. Very smooth and hints of cherry and vanilla with every sip. Not a bad option given the price. Only downside is you can't buy it out of Kentucky.

According to Her: On the nose it’s a light caramel with hints of dried cherries. It’s a light bodied bourbon with a light spice. What I love about this 100 proof version of Old Bardstown is that it’s only $22 and only available in Kentucky. Which means it isn’t very expensive but you have to be selective when you choose to drink (or share) it.  There’s some light spice of vanilla, caramel, and cloves at the first sip.  It leaves you with a fruity and floral aftertaste.

The Rating:

The flavor profile combined with the price, to us, equates to a slightly higher rating. The fact you can only buy this version in Kentucky is the limiting factor. We haven’t had the 90 proof version yet. It’s good if you make the trip down, otherwise you may be out of luck on this nice find. It is not a top shelf bourbon. In some cases, based on your shelf, it may not even crack the mid-shelf. We see this as a “relative” bourbon. Its placement on your respective shelf is relative to you, your palate, and your price range. If you have a higher expectation of bourbon in general and you buy at $22(ish) bottle of bourbon expecting the world, you’ll be disappointed. If you see it for what it is and in the right setting, you’ll appreciate it more.

3.0 out of 5 Glasses. We are putting this on the middle shelf, but off to the back. We only want it brought out on certain occasions and shared with certain folks who we know will enjoy and appreciate it.