1792 Cognac Cask Finish Bourbon Review – $38 Value Pick

BOTTLE DETAILS

• DISTILLER: Barton 1972 Distillery
• MASH BILL: 75 % Corn | 10% Rye | 15 % Barley
• AGE: The base bourbon is between 6 and 8 years old, and it rested for 6 months in Cognac casks
• YEAR: 2025
• PROOF: 95 (47.5% ABV)
• MSRP: $37.99
• BUY ONLINE: Total Wine & More

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Bourbon lovers, not to mention bourbon bargain lovers.

WORTH THE PRICE: Yes.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bottle. It's 1792 bourbon with some frills. What's not to like?

OVERALL: If you were fortunate enough to taste Barton's Port cask finished bourbon when it was released in 2015, you know what a terrific whiskey that was. Cask finishing was not nearly as popular back then, which positioned Barton as an early leader in that niche segment.

If you're like me, you remain baffled by why the distillery never repeated that release. Especially since, in the press release about this year's Cognac finish, the 1792 Port cask finish is described as "an acclaimed early experiment," and how that "experience laid the foundation for the milestone release of Cognac Cask Finish." 

Seems to me that the message is that one thing (Port cask) led to another (Cognac cask), but the original thing that started it all just ain't worth repeating.

It's worth noting that Barton did release a Port cask finished bourbon under the Thomas S. Moore brand in 2021. But it didn't compare to the 2015 release. Simply no contest.

For me, a full-on Barton fanboy, it's all a little frustrating. Truth is I prefer 1792 releases over anything from Buffalo Trace–outside of its incredible Antique Collection, of course. I'm like a lot of bourbon drinkers who love visiting Barton to duck cobwebs in dusty rickhouses to thieve whiskey eventually bottled as Full Proof single barrels. We covet its Aged 12 Years release, a magnificently bold bottle that, unfortunately, is harder to find than facts in a White House press briefing. Even less-noted releases such as its Bottled-In-Bond, Single Barrel and Sweet Wheat are fan faves. And, oh, the world would be a much better place if they'd bring back High Rye Bourbon or ... heaven forbid ... bottle some of all that rye made at Barton as an actual Barton rye instead of trucking it all to Frankfort for BT's Sazerac and Handy labels.

I write all that to say they did it right with the 2015 Port cask finish, so why not revisit that "acclaimed early experiment?" At least they could borrow some of those learnings and apply them to this year's Cognac finish, which needs a little help.

For starters, since the nose is so simple and soft on this, I recommend you let pour and let it rest for at least 30 minutes in the glass. Swirl it a few times during that half hour, too. Only then do some unique aromas emerge, things like grape skins, dried flowers and hard candies. Outside of that, it's just bourbon I'm nosing. If you have it handy, pour a glass of the 1792 flagship bourbon alongside it to compare. If your snoot is like mine, you'll find it barely–and I mean barely–different from the Cognac casked one.

Sadly, the same happens on the palate. Tasted side by side, I determined them roughly the same whiskey. I had to keep after the Cognac release and work it around my mouth pretty vigorously to extract chocolate and graham cracker, but I still didn't get much more. To me, there's no truly discernible Cognac influence here, which saddens me since there are few distilleries I want to praise more than Barton.

Had I not received a press sample of this bottle, I'd have bought it without hesitation. The price is right, the implied uniqueness is compelling, and I'm influenced by the trust I have in this brand. Ultimately, as this goes as a Cognac accented bourbon, this is a flavor miss for me. Still, for $37.99, your risk is low-low and it's still solid Barton bourbon. Maybe my palate is off and your mileage will vary. I sure hope so.

BRAND NOTES

“We’ve experimented with a range of premium cask finishes, but Cognac immediately stood out for how naturally it complements our Small Batch Bourbon,” says Ross Cornelissen, Barton 1792 Master Distiller. “Extended finishing in Cognac casks reveals dessert-like notes and layered complexity, while showcasing the full-bodied character of the Small Batch Bourbon and its signature high-rye recipe.”

NOSE: Dark cocoa and caramel

PALATE: Plum, apricot, and cherry on the palate, rounded by Bananas Foster and vanilla

FINISH: Sweet oak

Disclaimer: Bourbon & Banter received a sample of this product from the brand for review. We appreciate their willingness to allow us to review their products with no strings attached. Thank you.