Augusta Distillery Tasting
Indianapolis, Indiana – Local specialty spirits shop Storied Company hosted a bourbon tasting recently, featuring Augusta Distillery. This new distillery is located in Augusta, Kentucky, and while they’re currently using sourced whisky for their bottlings, they’re planning to run the first spirit through their own stills this year (2024). Our tasting was led by Matt Groves, the distillery’s regional sales director, and one of its earliest team members.
The source of their bourbons is undisclosed, but we do know that it comes from three distilleries in the Bardstown, Kentucky area; sourced barrels are aging with a level #4 char, and the distillery bottles everything at cask strength, with no chill filtration, and it’s all single barrel products. Additionally, they plan to age everything at least 8 years before it is released; because of this, it will still be a few years before we see their own distillate in their bottles. Bottles are filled by hand, four at a time - it’s still a small operation.
Augusta actually came to some prominence when their Buckner’s 13 Year Single Barrel Bourbon won double gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and was then crowned with the title of ‘Best Overall Bourbon,’ as well as the ‘Best Single Barrel Bourbon, 11 Years and Older.’
Augusta Distillery’s location in Kentucky is known for its barrel thieving tour, during which guests have the opportunity to draw samples directly from the barrels of bourbon, as well as pick a bourbon to bottle as a distillery exclusive.
In our tasting, Matt led us through six whiskies, which spanned a total of three brands:
Old Route 8:
8 Year Single Barrel Bourbon, Barrel No. 110
8 Year Single Barrel Bourbon, Barrel No. 25
Buckner’s:
10 Year Single Barrel Bourbon
River Proof Series (distillery only releases):
4 Year Bourbon, Cask Sample
6 Year Bourbon, Cask Sample
2 Year Bourbon, Cask Sample
Old Route 8, 8 Year Single Barrel Bourbon, Barrel No. 25
Not chill filtered, char level #4 barrel
Nose: sweet hard candies, spice, hints of alcohol, slate, mineral
Palate: earthy, very mineral, warm, candies, spearmint, caramel
Finish: spiced caramel, cinnamon red hots, earthy, cozy warm
Thoughts: nice warm, spicy bourbon with sweet candy character
Old Route 8, 8 Year Single Barrel Bourbon, Barrel No. 110
Not chill filtered, char level #4 barrel
Nose: brown sugar, oak, sugary, cinnamon, corn flour, slightly floral
Palate: brown sugar, mint, menthol, spicy, earthy, nice mouthfeel
Finish: mint, peppermint, spicy, pepper, spiced caramel, long finish
Thoughts: classic rye-heavy bourbon with a spicy side
Augusta River Proof Series, 4 Year Bourbon Cask Sample
Not chill filtered
Nose: butterscotch bomb, candy corn, vanilla, licorice, cheese
Palate: sweet with vanilla, bubblegum, soft spice, masa, corn
Finish: caramel, vanilla, more candy corn, and earthy character
Thoughts: interesting, quite a change from nose to palate to finish
Buckner’s 10 Year Cask Strength Single Barrel Bourbon
Not chill filtered, mashbill of 78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley
Nose: soft and sweet, strawberry creme candies, soft grain, floral
Palate: pepper, caramel, light soft grain, warm, a bit more subtle
Finish: soft, wheat-like, floral, cinnamon, peppery, cherry, burnt banana
Thoughts: subtle, shows its age nicely, with soft sweetness and fruit
Augusta River Proof Series, 2 Year Bourbon Cask Sample
Not chill filtered, mashbill of 51% corn, 45% wheat, 4% malted barley
Nose: stinky cheese, buttered popcorn, dry sherry, mineral, funky
Palate: young, buttered popcorn, honey, minerals, funk, sweeter
Finish: soft texture, medium length finish, cheese puffs, wood spice
Thoughts: very unique, funky, unlike any other bourbon we’ve tried
Augusta River Proof Series, 6 Year Bourbon Cask Sample
Not chill filtered, mashbill of 70% corn, 18% rye, 12% malted barley
Nose: dusty, mature oak, hard candies, dry, hints of baked cookies
Palate: sweeter than the nose, musty bookshelf, cinnamon, oaky
Finish: cinnamon spice, old wood, dusty, semi-sweet, leathery
Thoughts: shows great maturity for 6 years, a nice oaky bourbon
We have to touch on one bourbon specifically: the 2 year old cask sample, part of the River Proof series, which can only be purchases at the distillery. This was genuinely one of the most unique (if not the most unique) bourbons that we’ve ever tried - when the group at the tasting discussed the smells and flavors, the most common note was funky cheese, or even feta cheese, as well as buttered popcorn. A very unusual bourbon… some combination of the youth and the heavily wheated mashbill (45% wheat) combined to create a funky tasting experience. With time, it grew more earthy, sweet, and full of minerals.
Another interesting bourbon tasting at Storied Company, and one that excites us - the distillery will run its own spirit this year, and a few years down the road, we’ll get to taste their house style.
-Ethan and Hannah (Me, My Wife & Whisky)
Check out our other tasting articles:
Filey Bay / Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery Tasting
