When Fall rolls around each year, I find myself reaching for one particular style of whiskey much more often than the rest of the year, and that is double oak/toasted/wood finished bottles.  Daviess County is a brand produced by Lux Row Distillery in Bardstown.  Beginning in 2022 they began releasing a toasted finish bourbon.  This is 2022's release which is their Kentucky Straight Bourbon, which is a blend of two mashbills - a wheated bourbon and a traditional rye bourbon - finished in Lightly Toasted oak barrels (note - the 2023 release is finished in Medium Toasted oak barrels).  

Now, you might be asking yourself what is the difference between a charred barrel and a toasted barrel.  I like to think about it from a grilling meat perspective - a charred barrel is like searing a steak, high temperature for a short amount of time.  The char doesn't reach deeply into the barrel but the outside layer is quite crispy.  On the other hand, a toasted barrel is like low and slow BBQ - low temperature for a long amount of time and this allows the toast to reach further into the grain of the barrel.  So let's check out this offering...

Stats: NAS (over 4 years old); Undisclosed Mashbill (blend of wheated & rye bourbons essentially producing a four grain); 96 proof; $50

Verdict: On the nose, you initially get hints that this is a four grain mashbill.  Heavy spice from the wheat and rye mingle with sweeter notes of banana, maple syrup, vanilla, and of course the toasted oak comes through.  As you sip, the flavors carry over from the nose as you're first greeted with the sweet taste of caramel bananas, brown sugar, and vanilla.  The sweet ride begins to fade and the spice makes itself known.  The wheat and rye play nicely together with a nice burst of baking spice plus rye spice lingering on the back of the palate.  The finish is moderate to long and very warming.  This is exactly what I look for during the Fall from a wood finished bourbon, especially a toasted finish.  And at $50, this is a steal in today's market!