Bardstown Rye, Cherry Wood Finish | Maria's Whiskey Club Pick
A look back at Maria's Whiskey Club's Bardstown Rye, finished in toasted cherry wood and oak, picked in person at The Bardstown Bourbon Company.
Archive spotlight: this barrel is sold out. Featured here as a look back at a past Maria's Whiskey Club pick.
Maria's Whiskey Club picked this one in person, choosing it during a trip down to The Bardstown Bourbon Company in Kentucky. Of the barrels selected on that trip, this rye finished in toasted cherry wood and oak stood out as something worth bringing home.
How it was made
The rye is built from a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley, first aged up to 6 years in oak and then finished for an additional 6 months in a toasted cherry wood and oak barrel. It was bottled at a barrel proof of 119, with the cherry wood finish adding a balanced sweetness meant for a cold fall night.
What it tasted like
The nose gave an inviting scent of cherry, backed by sweet toasted oak on the palate alongside cherry and other dark fruit notes. The finish ran long and mouth-coating, mixing dark fruit with the rye spice and warmth Kentucky whiskey is known for.
Why members loved it
A cherry-wood finish on a high-rye whiskey is not something you find on every shelf, and picking it firsthand at the distillery gave the club a direct hand in choosing a flavor profile built for the season it released in.
About Maria's Whiskey Club
Maria's Whiskey Club is Maria's Marketplace's members-only barrel program in Canton, Michigan. Members get first access to single-barrel picks like this one, along with points toward future purchases and a say in what gets picked next. When it's worth the trip, the club goes to the distillery in person to pick.
Want in on the next pick? Join Maria's Whiskey Club to get notified when the next barrel comes in.
