Review #512 - Bardstown Collaboration Series: Chateau Doisy Daene
One of the many collaborations that Bardstown Bourbon Company has done with other spirit producers - this is the Chateau Doisy Daene collaboration, a bottling available at the bourbon company's distillery and Louisville tasting room. Chateau Doisy Daene is a French wine producer, specifically in the Bordeaux region - it is known for producing sweet white wines, especially Sauternes.
Bardstown gives us a breakdown of the blend that was used to create this whisky, which is relatively simple this time:
82% 10 year Kentucky bourbon (75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley mashbill)
18% 6 Year Indiana rye (51% rye, 45% corn, 4% malted barley mashbill)
From these two components, we get an age statement of 6 years due to the younger rye, though the average age of the whisky in the bottle is more like 9 years or so; the derived mashbill is roughly 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley.
After the initial maturations of the bourbon and rye components in standard new American white oak, the whisky underwent a 2 part finishing process. First, 7 months was spent in those Sauternes wine casks from Chateau Doisy Daene - this could add some sweeter yellow and orange fruit notes, as well as a buttery flavors and texture. Then, an additional 4 months was spent in new toasted oak barrels, which could add a nice combination of sweetness and oak spice.
Bardstown Collaboration Series: Chateau Doisy Daene
USA - Blend
Price: USD 200 (2025)
Age Statement: 6 Years
Strength: 54.5% ABV
Cask Makeup: Finished in Sauternes casks and new toasted oak barrels
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 1 time; bottle 70% fill level at time of review. Tasted in a nosing glass, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Lots of fruit: strawberries covered in balsamic vinegar, sweet mango, and orange juice. There's a mixture of sweet and sour scents; it's quite rich and juicy, and we get red Starburst candies, too.
Palate: A medium mouthfeel, full of more rich fruits: oranges, strawberries, raspberries. There's a syrupy sweetness, almost like simple syrup, and the rye is adding a soft mint note; later, the balsamic from the nose returns.
Finish: Strawberries again, deep and rich, with just a hint of white pepper showing some oak presence. Quite rounded and pleasant, and in the aftertaste, orange fruit lingers.
Final Note: A very tasty and fruity blend - we haven't had many American whiskies that were more fruit-forward than this. The nose especially was great, offering notes of sweetness and red fruit; overall, the experience was somewhat cohesive from the nose to the palate to the finish, bringing many of the same flavors in each part. The subtle oak presence added a good spice, but it was never too drying.
Value is just okay, though, as Bardstown Bourbon Co. is charging a premium for this bottle: $200, more than almost any of their other bottles. Could be worth a splurge, but this has been available for a while and doesn't seem to be flying off of the shelves.
Our Average Rating: 8.0 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.47
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
