Review: Bardstown Bourbon Co. Victoria Pineapple Barrel Finish
If you haven’t been paying close attention, you might have missed the fact that Bardstown Bourbon Co. has become one of the most innovative distilleries in America, turning out one unusual whiskey after another, relying either on unexpected blends or out-there finishes. Its latest release, Victoria Pineapple, is one of the latter, a 10 year old blend of bourbon and rye that features a massive 27 month finishing time in rum barrels “refined with fresh pineapple and additional wood staves.”
The fine print on the side of the label reveals the breakdown of the component whiskeys: 40% 11 year old bourbon with a 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% barley mash; 40% 10 year old bourbon with the same mash; and 20% 10 year old rye with the classic 95% rye, 5% barley recipe. All is distilled in Indiana, presumably at MGP.
As for the finishing: “The rum that previously occupied these casks has earned a devoted following among bartenders and spirits enthusiasts, due to its distinctive production process, in which prized Victoria pineapples are incorporated directly during maturation. Intrigued by the remarkable tropical character those casks produced, Bardstown Bourbon Company set out to honor the process, rather than simply use the barrels as finishing vessels.”
Label design is courtesy of multimedia artist Margaret Archambault.
We were lucky to get a bottle of this new release for review after tasting it in New Orleans at Tales of the Cocktail with master blender Dan Callaway. Here’s our full review after having had ample time to sit with it.
Bardstown Bourbon Co. Victoria Pineapple Barrel Finish Review
Pouring a golden brown, the whiskey immediately evokes on the nose exactly what you think: pineapple, big and sweet, but with an oxidized note that gives it some real gravity. Aromas of oloroso sherry, pitted cherries, and smoldering oak emerge with time in glass, eventually leading to a somewhat leathery character, bathed in overtones of floral incense.
Pineapple again leads the way on the palate, this time well caramelized, hinting at mango and some banana, again flambeed. The body is bold at 53% abv, with a sweet Orange Julius character that gives the intense fruit some rich and lively creaminess. The fruit bomb continues to the finish, where caramel and some chocolate notes finally emerge, followed again by a reprise of fresh, juicy pineapple.
Callaway says that his goal was never to make whiskey taste like pineapple, but it’s hard to say that isn’t exactly what happened here — and in the best possible way. Rarely have I encountered a whiskey that comes across as so incredibly delightful and effusive — and hard to put down. Some may see this as a gimmick, but, jeez, what a gimmick it is.
106 pro0f.
A / $140
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