Garryana wood plays profound flavor role in Bardstown Bourbon Co. Cascadia Bourbon

BOTTLE DETAILS

• DISTILLER: Blended by Bardstown Bourbon Co.
• MASH BILL: A blend of 2 Kentucky bourbon mash bills (Corn, Rye and Malted Barley) and 1 Indiana mash bill (Corn, Rye and Malted Barley)
• AGE: 9-10 year blend of three whiskies
• YEAR: 2026
• PROOF: 107.5 proof (53.75% ABV)
• MSRP: $99.99 for a 375ml bottle
• BUY ONLINE: Distillery Reserve Club or at BBC distillery or Louisville gift shops

STEVE'S NOTES

SHARE WITH: Fans of spicy, oaky, complex and moderately dry bourbons.

WORTH THE PRICE: $100 is a little steep for a 375ml, but given the reception other BBC Distillery Reserve bottles have received, there are many who will find this worthy of a Benjamin.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: Bar, just so you know what you're getting into. There's whole lotta spice texture going on here.

OVERALL: From the press release about this bottle:

Garryana Oak cannot be farmed or cut at will, gathered only from fallen trees and sanctioned harvests. Its dense grain slows oxidation and evaporation and lends flavors like clove and nutmeg, closer to French Oak than American White Oak. Distillery Reserve Cascadia ... rested for 10 months in 10 custom Garryana oak barrels. ... Unique to this release, these barrels feature a three-hour toast to unlock additional layers of spice and complexity found deep inside the red layer. They were then aged on the 6th floor of the warehouse in Bardstown over the course of the summer for maximum extraction.

No doubt about it, this wood choice and barrel toast drives powerful flavors and aromas. The nose is vibrant, commanding even, and surprisingly so for the approachable 107 proof. While its deeply spicy and floral notes speak of the cask and toast choices, their final months spent in the summer heat near the top of a BBC rickhouse surely made an impact. The whiskeys' 9 to 10 year age range emboldens the nose considerably with bruleed sugar, warm brownies, charred oak and overripe apples.

The palate is where the adventure becomes less fun for me. The note of burnt matches is the first flavor to arrive, while notes of bitter chocolate, nutmeg and cinnamon are delayed considerably. It's dry, but not overly so, and as moisture returns to the mouth, some muted notes of stone fruit emerge to help subdue the sulfur note, if only slightly. But let's be frank: BBC doesn't claim Distillery Reserve Cascadia is a classic whiskey, so I'm probably expecting something it's not intended to be.

While this bourbon isn't as arid as Garrison Bros., it is dry enough to make the palate eager for food nibbles to invigorate the salivary glands. The finish is mostly bitter and lengthy, and while a swallow of water does cleanse the palate, it coarsens it considerably. Still, while this bourbon is not my preferred style, doubtless others will enjoy it precisely for the dry texture and sulfur notes I disliked. To each his own.

Of the other Distillery Reserve bottles, if you liked BBC's Cathedral release, this similarly spicy and dry. FWIW, I'm on the flavor spectrum better served by the Hokkaido Mizunara Finish and the Normandie Calvados Finish pours.

My sense is these bottles are niche releases targeted to specific customers eager for new liquid adventures. I've seen pictures of lines for at least one bottle from this series, and that queue was deep with buyers. BBC has built its reputation on innovation, and this release demonstrates that that commitment lives on.

BRAND NOTES

Decadent maple layered on toasted oak, toffee, and vanilla créme leads to a full-bodied palate of baked cherry, cigar box, and butterscotch, finishing with medium tannins coated with rich wood sugar.

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.