The Bardstown Bourbon Company, 1500 Parkway Drive, is excited to partner with Kentucky Proud as one of the first distilleries to produce a wheated whiskey using ingredients and barrels derived completely from Kentucky. The recipe for this certified Kentucky Proud product yet to be named will include 39% corn from Marion County, Kentucky; 52% wheat from Washington County, Kentucky; and 9% malted barley grown in Logan County, Kentucky and malted by South Fork Malthouse in Cynthiana, Kentucky. On June 19, the whiskey blend will enter 33 Kentucky Oak barrels sourced from Canton Cooperage in Lebanon, Kentucky at 112 proof. It will age for 8 years at Bardstown Bourbon Company, available as a limited release to the state of Kentucky only in 2028.
The idea for this product came from Bardstown Bourbon Company head distiller Nick Smith who will oversee the production from start to finish.
“This will be a Kentucky crowd-pleaser with all raw materials from grain to barrel sourced locally in Kentucky,” said Smith. “I’m a sucker for a product with subtle sweetness that is guaranteed to go down soft and easy. It will be filled with honey, vanilla, dried berries, toffee and caramel flavors.”
Smith has quickly become a rising star in the bourbon industry. As head distiller of Bardstown Bourbon Company, he has been a part of the company since day one, honoring the traditional art of making whiskey while bringing a modern, technical approach to the day-to-day operations and mashbill creations.
“Nick was responsible for this product from ideation to implementation,” said Chief Operating Officer John Hargrove. “It is the first recipe that will be produced completely under his care and we’re confident that his knowledge, experience and leadership will yield one of the top wheated whiskies on the market.”
“As Agriculture Commissioner, one of my goals has been to diversify Kentucky agriculture, particularly with Kentucky Proud value-added products like bourbon and whiskey,” said Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles. “With 100% of the ingredients coming from Kentucky farms, including the malted barley, this is an incredibly unique and rare approach from Bardstown Bourbon Company. My hope is that this project’s success will further increase Kentucky’s reputation as a key leader in the spirits industry. I congratulate Bardstown Bourbon Company for their ingenuity and look forward to following this project as it develops.”
Raw materials sourced from Kentucky include:
Corn from Ronnie Mattingly with R&B Trucking and grown in Marion County, Kentucky.
Wheat from Ronnie Mattingly with R&B Trucking and grown in Washington County, Kentucky.
Malted Barley from R.T. Case with South Fork Malthouse in Cynthiana, Kentucky. The barley was grown by Walnut Grove Farm in Logan County and was malted by South Fork Malthouse.
Kentucky Oak Barrels from Canton Cooperage in Lebanon, Kentucky.
About Bardstown Bourbon Company:
Located in the heart of Bourbon Country on 100 acres of active farmland, Bardstown Bourbon Company, 1500 Parkway Drive, Bardstown, Ky. is one of the country’s most modern and technically advanced whiskey distilleries. Celebrating the art of making high-quality, authentic whiskey, the innovative distillery produces custom rye, whiskey and bourbon for prominent brands including Jefferson’s, High West, Belle Meade, Hirsch and many others through its one-of-a-kind Collaborative Distilling Program. Bardstown Bourbon Company honors tradition and drives innovation with its exceptional destination experience for visitors, offering one of the only full-service restaurants located within a distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the Bardstown Bourbon Company Kitchen & Bar. For more information, visit bardstownbourbon.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram.
About Kentucky Proud:
Kentucky Proud is the trademarked brand for Kentucky’s agricultural products grown and produced in the commonwealth on Kentucky. It is the marketing identity of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. Kentucky Proud stands for foods, nursery items, crafts, agritourism sites, farmers’ markets, state parks, and many other products and destinations with roots in Kentucky soil. Kentucky Proud products are raised, grown, or processed in Kentucky by Kentuckians. For more information, visit kyproud.com or follow on Facebook
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