This Year’s Bardstown Collection Offers up Exclusive Bourbons From Heaven Hill, Jim Beam, and More
News of the 2024 Bardstown Collection of limited-edition bourbons was just announced, an annual release that coincides with the first National Bourbon Week. This year’s collection includes bottlings that you won’t find anywhere else from distilleries such as Heaven Hill and the James B. Beam Distilling Co., and we have all the details.
The first annual National Bourbon Week takes place from June 11 to 16, with the festivities taking place in the spiritual home of bourbon—Bardstown, Kentucky. There will be a series of events taking place that week, including a special dinner at Lux Row, a tour of the Maker’s Mark distillery, an outdoor concert on Main Street in downtown Bardstown, and individual release parties at the different distilleries participating in this year’s collection. “In Bardstown, bourbon isn’t just a drink; it’s a way of life,” said Jeff Crowe, chairman of Bardstown Tourism, in a statement. “The Bardstown Collection 2024 is a testament to the traditions and dedication that define our town as the heart of bourbon culture.”
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There are seven participating distilleries (up from last year’s six), with less than 500 bottles of each Bardstown Collection bourbon available. Preservation Distillery + Farms entry is a cask-strength blend of wheated bourbon distilled onsite in their pot still and sourced Kentucky bourbon. Heaven Hill blended barrels between 7 and 16 years old containing bourbon made using its traditional mashbill of 78 percent corn, 10 percent rye, and 12 percent malted barley, and bottled it at 105 proof. Lux Row will release three 6-year-old single barrels that were given a toasted finish, each containing bourbon made from a mashbill of 68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, and 12 percent malted barley. Limestone Branch contributed a 6-year-old, pot-distilled, wheated bourbon with 28 percent red winter wheat in the mashbill. Log Still contributed a 9-year-old high-rye bourbon. Bardstown Bourbon Company didn’t provide many details about its bourbon, just that there are ripe cherry, cinnamon, and maple notes. And finally, James B. Beam Distilling Co. is releasing what it says is its oldest whiskey to date, aged for nearly two decades.
Given these specs, these are likely to be highly collectible whiskeys, particularly the ones with older age statements and unique mashbills. (Last year’s collection is currently going for $4,000 on the secondary market.) You’ll have to head to Bardstown this June to get your hands on a bottle, or the entire collection if you’re a diehard bourbon fan. Visit the website to find out how to get tickets now.
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