Delicate baking spices | Strawberry compote | Brown sugar hard candy | Leather

Caramel | Strawberry jam | Brown sugar | Pie crust | Toffee | Savory undertones | Rich | Buttery mouthfeel

Delicate baking spices | Strawberry compote | Brown sugar hard candy | Leather

This is Bardstown Bourbon Company’s second partnership release with Maison Ferrard, a storied French company that produces a variety of spirits. For this collaboration, Bardstown Bourbon Company finished a blend of three sourced Kentucky bourbons and one in-house distilled rye in ex-Cognac barrels from Ferrand Cognac, the company’s Cognac distillery located in the Champagne region of France.

Bardstown Bourbon Company is not shy in collaborating with others, but is very careful when it comes to who they collaborate with. Maison Ferrand is a widely respected company with a well-respected Cognac brand, so this collaboration meets Bardstown Bourbon Company’s high standards. At the same time, there is never a guarantee that the resulting whiskey will meet those standards.

The whiskey has a ton going on when it comes to its range of flavors. There’s a beautiful marriage of red grape, raspberry, and baking spices on the nose, a diverse palate with a buttery mouthfeel, and it produces a satisfying finish. While it is a solid whiskey overall, it also comes across as just not quite hitting the high mark it’s capable of. This may sound strange, but it’s the equivalent of a straight-A student getting a 90 on an exam - it meets a high level of expectation, but just barely. Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series: Ferrand II is a high quality finished bourbon that has the ability to reach greater heights. Considering this is the second collaboration between the two companies, I am confident they will eventually get there.