Editor’s Note: We received a review sample of this whiskey from the brand. However, in accordance with our editorial policies, this has not influenced the outcome of our review in any way.
Bardstown Bourbon Company has been one of the rising stars of the newer wave of distilleries out of Kentucky for some years now. Operating out of a modern, technically advanced whiskey distillery, the whiskeys that have been coming out of here have been putting this whiskey maker on the map, with one more recent example being named 2023 Worldwide Whiskey Producer of the Year by IWSC.
Among the different offerings Bardstown Bourbon Co. has is its award-winning Collaborative Series, which finds the Kentucky distiller pairing off with makers of other spirits, wines, and beers for special releases reflecting flavor aspects offered by the partners’ corresponding elements in the particular bottling.
What’s in the bottle
Bardstown Bourbon Co. Amrut Collaborative Series, which is what’s being reviewed here, is one of the latest of these collaborative offerings. Amrut, the partner of Bardstown, is considered “the” major player in Indian single malt whiskies today, being the largest and most well-known brand in a category that today represents more than half of the top 10 brands globally.
Getting into the nitty gritty with this release, Bardstown has blended together two Indiana rye whiskeys and three Kentucky bourbons of varying ages and mash bills, with the two ryes each being finished for 18 months in Amrut Indian single malt barrels. How this breaks down specifically is:
BLEND |
ORIGIN |
AGE |
MASH BILL |
FINISH |
43% |
Indiana
|
9 year |
Corn 45% Rye 51% Malted Barley 4% |
18 months in Amrut Indian Single Malt barrels |
20% |
Indiana |
8 year |
Rye 95% Malted Barley 5% |
18 months in Amrut Indian Single Malt barrels
|
17% |
Kentucky
|
14 year |
Corn 75% Rye 13% Malted Barley 12% |
None |
15% |
Kentucky
|
10 year |
Corn 78% Rye 10% Malted Barley 12% |
None |
5% |
Kentucky |
11 year |
Corn 78% Rye 13% Malted Barley 9% |
None |
“Amrut is creating some beautiful liquid right now. Their use of malted barley, distilled and aged in a warm, humid climate is such an interesting bridge between Scottish whisky and bourbon,” said Dan Callaway, VP of Product Development, responsible for the final flavor profile of all Bardstown Bourbon Co. products, at the time this product was release. “It’s fascinating to see how our rye blend absorbed characteristics of both the peated and unpeated Amrut barrels, resulting in a unique depth of flavor and character.
“We then created a custom bourbon blend to join the finished rye and bring red fruit and rich caramel. The result is an authentic collaboration bursting with new flavors.”
The end result of all of this has been bottled at 110 proof and priced at $159.99.