Bardstown Bourbon Co. Destillaré Orange Curaçao Finish

Parkers curacao is better, but this is still great

Creamy, like orange sherbet on the nose, light and fresh at the beginning, full bodied, oily, very orange tangerine and rich

Nose- sweet, honey and oranges Body- orange sherbert, old fashioned Finish- orange zest really comes through here with powdered sugar I like this. Milliardo is wrong.

Nose - I'm immediately surprised how strong the orange scent comes through here. I expected a typical bourbon nose with a hint of citrus but the curacao takes front and center. Unfortunately the orange scent feels cheaper than more luxurious and reminds me of orange sherbet, snow cones, and candy. Not necessarily mature citrus flavors I'd want in a bourbon. All that said, the nose is still quite nice and intriguing and the orange scents mixed with baking spice, vanilla, and molasses provide a pleasant alternative to most bourbon profiles. Palate - This is much better than the nosing let on. The orange comes through very strongly but not offensively. It's very bright and refreshing and plays well with the other whiskey flavors noticed on the nose. To me this tastes like a high end premade old fashioned. It would be a wonderful dessert bourbon or as an interesting taster for guests but I probably wouldn't reach for this as a sipper. Simply put, bright orange citrus rounded out with sweet brown sugar, vanilla, and baking spices. If orange pie was a thing this would be it in liquid form. Finish - The finish truly is the best part of this experience. Somehow cinnamon spice comes out of nowhere and leaves a wonderful heat that plays very well with the diminishing orange profile. The medium length finish starts sweet and citrusy and slowly transforms into a warm cinnamon coating at the back of the mouth and down in the chest. Conclusion - This bourbon is beautifully different and I'm impressed that Bardstown could build such a heavy orange profile without it feeling gimmicky and cheap. It's not particularly my favorite whiskey and I generally prefer more subtle flavors but it's impressive nonetheless. As I mentioned before this would best be served as a dessert bourbon or to guests as an interesting alternative. Biggest downside is I don't want to pay $130 for an occasional use dessert whiskey or fun taster.

The distillaré's orange flavor is very apparent on the nose and in the taste. It's a sweet easy drinking dessert bourbon, but the combination works. You can still taste the complexities of the bourbon as well.