CULTURE

Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s Distillery Reserve Returns with Cascadia

Introducing Cascadia Garryana Oak Barrel Finish

Cascadia begins with a blend of three bourbons aged nine and ten years, each crafted from a different mashbill of corn, rye, and malted barley. After blending, the whiskey was finished for ten months in custom Garryana oak barrels – crafted by Oregon Barrel Works, a micro-cooperage producing just 1,000 barrels per year.

For this release, the 10 barrels received a three-hour hand-toast to draw out deeper spice compounds, before aging on the sixth floor of the warehouse for 10 months for maximum interaction with the wood. The whiskey was then gradually proofed to allow the blend to fully integrate before bottling.

Garryana Oak – A Rare And Special Ingredient

Garryana oak – also known as Oregon white oak – is native to the Pacific Northwest and rarely used in American whiskey. Because it cannot be commercially farmed and is only sourced from fallen or sanctioned harvests, availability is extremely limited.

Its dense grain slows oxidation and evaporation, contributing a structure and spice profile closer to French oak than traditional American white oak. The result is a distinctly different character – layered spice, dryness, and complexity – that showcases how profoundly wood species alone can reshape a bourbon.

Tasting Notes

Decadent maple layered on toasted oak, toffee, and vanilla crème leads to a full-bodied palate of baked cherry, cigar box, and butterscotch finishing with medium tannins coated with rich wood sugar.

Product Details