Bardstown Bourbon Company Returns: Discovery 2026 & Lochs of Jura Barrel Finish

We’ve been with Bardstown Bourbon Company since day one. We were the first retailer to sell Discovery 1 and Fusion 1 outside of Kentucky all the way back in 2019, and it’s been incredible to watch the brand grow from an ambitious new distillery into one of the biggest names in American whiskey. A big part of that has always been their willingness to push blending and finishing in new directions, and these two new releases are a perfect example of that.

2026 Discovery marks a new chapter for the series, moving away from numbered batches and into annual releases. This year’s blend combines 7, 10, and 11-year-old bourbons before an additional four months in custom Garryana oak barrels from Oregon, adding another layer of spice and structure to the mature whiskey underneath. It’s bottled at 112.8 proof.

Lochs of Jura Barrel Finish goes in a completely different direction, blending 10-year rye, and both 11 and 12-year bourbons before spending another 32 months in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry Scotch whisky casks from the Isle of Jura. Bottled at 104 proof, it recently earned 99 points at the 2026 IWSC, the highest score awarded in this year’s North American judging.

Two very different whiskeys, both showing exactly why we’ve enjoyed following Bardstown Bourbon Company from the beginning.

Bardstown Bourbon Company Discovery 2026

The nose is rich and plush, with butterscotch, smoked sugar, toasted oak, fig jam, and warm baked apple pie topped with French vanilla ice cream leading the way.

The palate is deep and chewy, giving full-flavored notes of charred marshmallow alongside a potpourri of cinnamon stick and nutmeg with mixed dried fruits, with a close of creme brûlée.

The finish is rich and viscous, well-spiced as clove and allspice jump out, and heavily seasoned as smoked vanilla and oak continue long and custardy on the palate, while the fruitiness lingers dry far past it all.

Bardstown Bourbon Co. Lochs of Jura Barrel Finish

Take your thoughts of a Scotch-finished bourbon and toss them away. While normal Scotch-finished whiskeys lean toward the peated or slightly smoky side, this one brings the added depth of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks into the mix.

The nose leads with thick caramel, a bit of tangerine, sweet stone fruit, and just a touch of smoked chocolate. The longer it rests, the wider it grows.

The palate is packed with flavor, first showcasing some of the herbal and aged notes of the 10-year rye before moving into richer fruitiness from the 11- and 12-year bourbons. I don’t think I’d peg this as a finished whiskey at all, though I’d credit some of the nuanced vanilla, strawberry cream soda, and sugary malt notes to the complexity added through finishing.

The finish is balanced and layered, creamy and fruity. It’s a fantastic harmony of notes that grows bright and zesty before ultimately fading into brown sugar syrup and sweet oak.