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Whiskey Reviews: Daviess County Kentucky Straight Whiskey and Daviess County Cabernet Cask Finish

We review two bourbons from Daviess County: a classic Kentucky straight bourbon, and a red wine finished variant.

OVERALL RATING

4.5
$40.00
  • Cindy Capperelli is the founder of Portland Bitters Project and an instructor at two Portland colleges.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Daviess County Kentucky Straight Whiskey is made from an undisclosed dual mash bill, is aged four years and clocks in at 96 proof. Find a 750mL bottle for $40 nationwide. Bardstown, Kentucky. Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finish is made from an undisclosed dual mash bill, is aged four years, spends six months in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels, and clocks in at 96 proof. Find a 750mL bottle for $45 nationwide. Bardstown, Kentucky.
Appearance:
This whiskey is a very clear, shining medium amber that beads and forms thick tears. This whiskey is a very clear, medium amber with a copper cast that beads and forms thick tears.
Nose:
tic compounds no longer present in the original casks. Once new make spirit is placed in a barrel, acids and alcohols in the liquid interact with the oak and start to form esters (esters = flavor havens). When you later put that spirit into a former wine cask, the acids and alcohols get to form different esters with the wine residue. A shocking two to six liters of liquid can remain in oak staves after barrels are emptied. Also, liquor’s higher alcohol content enables it to extract compounds from the barrel that the wine’s lower ABV couldn’t touch. Then those compounds interact with the wine to create even more esters. Lux Row Distillers, at this point, have taken over 18,000 square feet of Bardstown. They have six barrel warehouses and a 43 foot copper still that pumps out three million gallons of spirit annually. Daviess County is a resurrected brand that, according to corporate lore, first began in 1874. After surviving Prohibition and limping along for decades, the future Diageo closed its parent company in 1992. The story begins again with the 2020 revival. Daviess County Kentucky Straight Whiskey and Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finish (image via Cindy Capparelli) Tasting Notes: Daviess County Kentucky Straight Whiskey Vital stats: Daviess County Kentucky Straight Whiskey is made from an undisclosed dual mash bill, is aged four years and clocks in at 96 proof. Find a 750mL bottle for $40 nationwide. Bardstown, Kentucky. Appearance: This whiskey is a very clear, shining medium amber that beads and forms thick tears. Nose: A central-casting bourbon aroma with gentle cedar spice and a smack of sour grain; interlaced with vanilla extract and peach skin. This nose is plummy, creamier, though still gentle. A savory roasted quality plays in the background.
Palate:
Quite a bite! Black tea predominates the palate with allspice, black pepper and cereal funk supporting. Score: 2.5/5 Tasting Notes: Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finish Vital stats: Daviess County Cabernet Sauvignon Finish is made from an undisclosed dual mash bill, is aged four years, spends six months in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels, and clocks in at 96 proof. Find a 750mL bottle for $45 nationwide. Bardstown, Kentucky. Appearance: This whiskey is a very clear, medium amber with a copper cast that beads and forms thick tears. Nose: This nose is plummy, creamier, though still gentle. A savory roasted quality plays in the background. Palate: It seems like I can feel the alcohol of a big red. It’s somewhat sweeter on the attack, with hard herbs like rosemary on the mid-palate. Lingering tannins make for a long, if not great, finish. Score: 2/5 Final Thoughts: Both whiskeys are thin and hot. There’s too much bite with little reward. I thought the wine finish might soften the hard edges of the original, but it just seems to have intensified the alcohol. They’ll be fine for mixing, but there’s nothing remarkable about these whiskeys.
Finish:
Comments:

Editor’s Note: This whiskey was either bought as a sample by The Whiskey Wash or provided to us as a review sample by the party behind it. Per our editorial policies, this in no way influenced the outcome of this review.

Cindy Capparelli

Cindy Capperelli is the visionary founder of Portland Bitters Project, established in 2014 with the ambition to craft the finest bitters available. Today, her bitters are savored across the United States and internationally, enhancing cocktails with expressive flavors. In addition to her entrepreneurial endeavors, Cindy shares her expertise as an instructor at two Portland colleges. She also engages with private groups, distilleries, and maker's spaces, advocating for the use of high-quality ingredients and time-honored techniques. Cindy empowers her students with the confidence and knowledge to create exceptional drinks at home, experiment with tinctures, and enrich their overall food and beverage experiences.

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