Taste Test: Bardstown Bourbon Has Made the Best Rum Cask-Finished Whiskey on the Market

Jonah Flicker

April 23, 2023 at 5:00 PM·3 min read

It’s one thing for a distillery to finish its whiskey in a rum cask—the concept isn’t new, but when done right it can add a nice burst of tropical flavor to the palate. But it’s another thing when those casks come from one of the best rum distilleries out there, and such is the case with the new Foursquare Rum Collaborative Series from Kentucky’s Bardstown Bourbon Company.

Bardstown Bourbon Company is a relatively new player in the Kentucky whiskey scene, but it has established itself as a high-quality source of contract-distilled whiskey for other brands as well releasing its own lineup. The latter consists of both sourced and in-house produced whiskey—the new Origin Series was the first release that was entirely produced onsite, from distillation to maturation. The Collaborative Series has been one of the most interesting and flavorful collections from BBC—each new release is a blend of different well-aged sourced whiskeys that are finished in a different barrel type. The Phifer Pavitt Cabernet Finish was a truly fantastic one released early on, and from there the lineup has expanded exponentially to include finishes in an array of barrels such as Founders KBS Stout, Maison Ferrand Cognac, Destillaire Orange Curacao, and Copper & Kings Brandy.

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The new Foursquare Rum finish isn’t the first time this barrel type has been used—there was a previous whiskey finished in Plantation Rum barrels. But this is a really delicious bottle that drives home the point that a well-conceived barrel finish can really make a spirit stand out from the pack. The blend is made up of 90 percent Indiana rye aged for seven years (presumably MGP, but with a “barely legal” mashbill of just 51 percent rye), and 10 percent Tennessee bourbon aged for 17 years (possibly Dickel, with a mashbill of 84 percent corn and 8 percent rye). Even that small percentage of extra-aged bourbon really has a profound effect upon the palate, adding a nice dose of tannic oak, chocolate, and honey notes that intermingle with the black pepper, cinnamon, and vanilla of the rye.

But it’s the 23 months in Foursquare Rum barrels that has turned this blend of straight whiskeys into something special. Foursquare is a Barbados distillery that is well known for producing no-BS rum that nearly always has no sugar, color, or other additives, and is pretty transparent about it when that is not the case (sometimes caramel color is added). Nearly two years in this secondary cask has softened the palate into a melange of chocolate-covered orange, toasted coconut, apple pie, and banana pudding notes. There’s a hint of spice on the finish, but at 107 proof this whiskey drinks very smoothly. According to BBC, the secondary maturation took place on the top floor of rickhouse G, which resulted in increased evaporation and concentrated flavor. There’s no way of confirming the former, but the latter is evident in every sip.

So yes, if you’re a whiskey fan you’ve likely tried a rum cask-finished expression before, but this one is better. That’s a bold statement that can’t be empirically proven, but my confidence is high in this matter. Supplies are limited, but you can find Bardstown Bourbon Co. Foursquare Collaborative Series at websites like Seelbach’s for $170 per bottle starting April 21.

Score: 97

100: Worth trading your first born for
95 – 99 In the Pantheon: A trophy for the cabinet
90 – 94 Great: An excited nod from friends when you pour them a dram
85 – 89 Very Good: Delicious enough to buy, but not quite special enough to chase on the secondary market
80 – 84 Good: More of your everyday drinker, solid and reliable
Below 80 It’s alright: Honestly, we probably won’t waste your time and ours with this

Every week Jonah Flicker tastes the most buzzworthy and interesting whiskeys in the world. Check back each Friday for his latest review.

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Score: 97

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