Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a review sample by Sazerac. This in no way, per our editorial policies, influenced the final outcome of this review.
If you like Buffalo Trace, you might love Barton 1792 Aged Twelve Years. Kentucky’s Barton 1792 distillery belongs to Sazerac, and American family-owned company that’s based in the New Orleans area. Sazerac also owns the popular Buffalo Trace bourbon distillery.
The Barton 1972 Distillery was established in 1879 and carries on today as the oldest fully operating distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, the so-called “Bourbon Capital of the World.” As we’ve mentioned previously, their campus covers almost 200 acres and encompasses 27 warehouses and 22 other buildings.
Barton 1792 Aged Twelve Years is, well, 12 years old. This high rye style bourbon is aged in charred American white oak. The distillery plans to release small amounts of it each summer.
Tasting Notes: Barton 1792 Aged Twelve Years
Vital stats: Aged 12 years (I know, I know) in charred American white oak, 96.6 proof, about $50, high-rye bourbon.
Appearance: Copper. Shiny copper, too. Not metallic, but more like fresh new copper wire installed in a basement. This will fix your plumbing, all right!
Nose: It beckons! You know you want to drink me, it says. It’s a delightful mix of freshly baked chocolate chocolate chip cookies, hot honey, and honeydew melon. The smell of the knife that’s just hollowed out a long skinny vanilla bean.
Palate: It’s not as sweet as the nose. There’s a little more going on. Some corny sweetness, but with a kick. It’s not a generic smooth slightly sweet bourbon. The smoke picks up on the finish. Not so much peat, but a fiery beat. Think of a just-blown out match, less the quick hit of sulfur charge, more of a “whoah, that smarts!”
It also drinks a little thin, doesn’t roll over the tongue like others I’ve had recently. It’s harsh, actually. It’s not a bad drink, but it’s something I’m likely not to choose myself now that I’ve had it. But I generally feel that way about Buffalo Trace. I don’t hate it…but it’s not in my usual rotation.