From the Top 5 bourbons $25-$50 list...

About the Distiller: For the casual bourbon fan, this might come as a bit of a surprise that Bardstown Bourbon Company (BBC) lands a bottle in the top 5.  You may them as a newer craft bourbon distiller known for their Discover, Fusion, or Collaboration series that either finish or blend mostly sourced whiskey and bottled under their name.  BBC has done this while the majority of their own distilled stock ages.  And unlike many other newer distilleries that may only wait 2,3, or at most 4 years, BBC let theirs age a full 6 years before releasing.  The series mentioned above, especially the Fusion series, is why they were able to do this.  They sourced higher-aged whiskey and "fused" it with their lower-aged distillate for the last several years and put out some very high-quality stuff.   One other quick note, BBC is probably no longer considered a craft distillery.  They are pumping out as much stock as anyone in the industry today.  They are now a major player in contract distilling (they distill and sometimes age) for other brands. At last check, they produce 50 different mash bills for 30 different brands!  They have quadrupled production since  2016 and are now a top-10 volume producer in the country.  Last year they announced they were growing production by 50% by 2024 with a nearly $30M expansion.  Also, as of last year (2022), they now own Green River Distilling.  To say the least, they're growing!  Having visited and driven by their facility in Bardstown many times, you can see it - they are constantly adding new rickhouses.  They are on the cusp of making the Big-6 distillers (Buffalo, Turkey, Brown-Forman, Beam, Makers, Roses) a Big-7. 

This Origin Series was released earlier this year as BBC's first 100% produced under their own label.  There are three different products under the Origin Series: Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Bottled-in-Bond Wheated Bourbon, and a Straight Rye Whiskey.  The series was distributed to 24 different states and available through online retailers so you may or may not have this available to you but I would anticipate BBC to expand distribution shortly.  

Stats: 6 years old; 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley; 96 proof; $45

Verdict: I love everything about this bottle.  I love the transparency BBC puts on their labels with the age and mash bill makeup.  I love the profile of this which is different than any of the others.  There's a creaminess to this from the nose and the palate that once I sip, I'm reminded of a homemade peach ice cream. I also have notes of sweet hard candy like Nerds, bigger dry oak than you would expect from a six-year-old bourbon, and light rye spice.  While the palate is sweet, it's not overbearingly sweet and there is less spice than would be anticipated from a high-rye mash bill but it provides a nice balanced backdrop to the unique flavors.  The finish isn't a burn as much as it is a lingering spice on the back of the palate with more dry oak, leather, and vanilla.  An all-around fantastic pout that I really hope I can keep on my shelf at all times.  This is now in the auto-buy category for me because of it's uniqueness.  And if BBC isn't on your radar yet, go out and find some of their stuff...now!