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Bardstown Bourbon Company Cascadia Garryana Oak Barrel Finish Review

Can rare Oregon White Oak transform mature bourbon? Bardstown's Cascadia finishes in just ten Garryana barrels—but does its 107.5 proof help or hurt the pour?

OVERALL RATING

8
$99.99
  • Jeff Bogursky, innovator turned wine seller, runs vintagekosher.com for rare bottles.
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Tasting Notes

About:

Bardstown Bourbon Company Cascadia Garryana Oak Barrel Finish is an exceptionally limited reserve Distillery-Only release built around a most unusual wood program. The whiskey begins with a blend of three straight bourbons aged 9 and 10 years from Kentucky and Indiana, then finished for 10 months in only ten custom barrels made from Garryana oak—also known as Oregon White Oak—native to the Pacific Northwest.

The Garryana barrels were handmade by Oregon Barrel Works and given an unusually long three-hour hand toast designed to draw out the wood’s distinctive spice character. Bottled at a robust 107.5 proof, Cascadia is a fascinating exploration of how a rare American oak can transform mature bourbon.
Appearance:
Deep Amber maple syrup, fresh motor oil
Nose:
Piney maple, creme brulee, fried dough, red rose, Chardonnay
Palate:
Heat, sugar smacks, black berries, maple sugar candy, banana bread, sea air
Finish:
Long and then much longer. Ending with a distinct maple flavor as it fades into aromatic bitters
Comments:
Bottled too hot, leading to an imbalance that robbed it of top marks. It’s powerful, not sweet, but multilayered, all while displaying a unique tannin combination and interaction with the cedar flavor of the spirit.

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.

Jeff Bogursky

Jeff Bogursky is a restless innovator and entrepreneur. He started one of New York’s first digital agencies and developed software applications for decades, before simpliying his life by becoming a wine and spirits seller. His website vintagekosher.com specializes in hard to find and good to drink bottles.

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