Bardstown Bourbon Co. Fusion Series #5

Interesting flavor. No burn. Mellows with time in ice.

Dark straw color. Really hangs on the glass with only a few slow forming legs. The nose has a lot going on: definite contribution from Rye comes through with undertones of baking spices and tart fruit aromas, musty barn loft.... Some burnt sugar/caramel. Plenty of barrel: old oak boards, tobacco and a hint of coconut/vanilla. It takes its time to unfold the flavors, but the finish isn't particularly long. No clear winner up front, but the mid palate shows some floral notes, a hint of the tart fruit and more burnt caramel... lots of wood going on, reminiscent of a humidor or a very old cedar closet. Vanilla frosted lemon cookies come to mind late. It has a warming effect that doesn't come from the alcohol alone... Although at no point would I describe it as sweet, there's enough balance to know that it's in there somewhere. This is a complex one for sure... Glad I've got a bottle to figure out what else is going on in there. Overall, it's very high quality, quite complex, well balanced, and very interesting... Reminds me faintly of Noah's Mill with that dark cacao/burnt caramel/tobacco thing going on.

Neat. Sample. The nose on first impression hit me wrong. Got a wet dog note. Whenever I have a moment like that I assume it’s me and not the whiskey. Take a break, smell my elbow and try to reset. Going back in, there is a mustiness there but it’s not as bad as that first whiff. Chocolate peanut butter cup seems to be the dominate flavor Discover is going for when their own distillate is involved. There is some interesting fresh coconut here. Vanilla pudding pie. Inviting nose but nothing special. Mouthfeel is average, tad watered down feeling. Taste matches the nose. That fresh coconut appears upfront, almost like a coconut milk even. Transitions to the chocolate, hint of nut, ends on a vanilla milk shake. You know, I am going back to the mouthfeel. Initial impression was off, but subsequent sips have a creaminess to it. This is kind of unique. There is a vanilla coconut Silk - milk alternative. This reminds me of sipping on that. Odd description for a bourbon but I dig it. I don’t think I would buy a bottle of this for myself. Something fun to explore once but I don’t anticipate craving it.