Aged in 300 Year French Oak Used to Restore Notre Dame, Bardstown Bourbon Company’s “Cathedral French Oak Finish”.

Well take me to church and take my money while you’re at it Bardstown Bourbon Company. This new dandy you’ve released is sure to evoke the masses and show us the light.

Bardstown Bourbon Company continues to stretch the boundaries of American Whiskey innovation with its latest collection of new whiskies, Distillery Reserve. The inaugural release, Cathedral French Oak Finish marries revered tradition with experimentation and became available starting February 28th.

QUICK FACTS

• AGE: 9 – 18 yrs.
• PROOF: 110.1
• PRICE: $99 (375ml)
• AVAILABILITY: Exclusively at Bardstown and Louisville BBCo homeplace locations
• FINISH: Aged 14 months in 300 year old French Oak, used to restore Notre Dame Cathedral in 2019
• Blend of 5 different KY Bourbons

With small scale innovation and the ability to experiment freely, Distillery Reserve is the embodiment of the ethos “Never Stand Still.” Ranging from two to nine barrels, these releases bring to the public for the first time, selections from hundreds of experiments that explore flavor through wood, aging, finishing and blending techniques. Available exclusively at the distillery’s gift shops in Bardstown and Louisville, each one-time-only release offers a groundbreaking bourbon experience.

“The core of our brand has always been innovation, transparency and collaboration but these values mean little without respecting and building on the foundation of tradition,” said Dan Callaway, head of new product development for Bardstown Bourbon Co. “Distillery Reserve expresses that reverent, yet pioneering spirit, offering us a platform to showcase immense creativity and house some of the experiments tucked throughout our warehouses.”

Distillery Reserve will commence with Cathedral French Oak, a whiskey with a story as rich and complex as its flavor profile. This blend of 100 percent Kentucky bourbons, aged between 9 to 18 years, was finished for 14 months in barrels made of 300-year-old French Oak from the legendary Bercé Forest in the Loire Valley.

This plot of giant trees, planted during the reign of Louis XIV (circa 1715), was harvested to restore the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris following the fire of 2019. Their intricate grain and unparalleled density, strong enough to restore the Cathedral’s famed spire, infuse the whiskey with a character as profound as the history they represent.

“These truly singular barrels brought tremendous character to the bourbon. The key was to integrate the commanding barrel flavor with a powerful blend of long-aged bourbons to achieve the balance that lets each part shine,” said Callaway. “This exquisite whiskey is a most devout showcase of the cultural legacy of France married to the pioneering spirit of American Whiskey.”

TASTING NOTES (Brand Provided): The resulting union presents waves of maple, baked cherry, cinnamon, and cedar, harmonizing with notes of vanilla cream and rose petal. Toasted oak and crème brûlée create a rich, round palate leading to an extraordinary, lasting finish.

Distillery Reserve Cathedral French Oak is presented at 110.1 proof (55.05% ABV) and will be available in limited quantities for $99.99 starting February 28,2025 exclusively at the distillery’s gift shops in Bardstown and Louisville. Each Distillery Reserve bottling is packaged as a 375 mL.

These small format innovations carry forth Bardstown’s reputation for quality, innovation and unique station in American Whiskey. Bardstown Bourbon was named 2023 Worldwide Whisky Producer of the Year by IWSC, Brand Innovator and Distiller of the Year at the 2025 Icons of Whisky, and the brand’s Amrut Indian Whisky collaboration, the first of its kind, was honored as the highest-rated American Whiskey by Whisky Advocate in 2024.

Distillery Reserve – Cathedral French Oak

Proof: 110.1 (55.05% alc. by vol)             

SRP: $99.99

Format: 375 mL

Finishing:

• Finished for 14 months
• 300-Year-Old French Oak Barrels, sourced from the iconic Tonnellerie Baron cooperage
• Certified by ONF (Office National des Forêts)
• Oak saplings planted replace each of the harvested trees

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