DSR – KY – 004: 1792 Single Barrel
Company/Distillery: Barton 1792 Distillery
Location: Bardstown, Kentucky
Mash Bill: Undisclosed – High Rye
Age Statement: NAS
Proof/ABV: 98.6 Proof/ 49.3% ABV
Color: Light Copper
Purchase Price: $39.95 from NC ABC store; 750 ml bottle
Bottle Label Information:
Front Label
“Single Barrel”
“1792”
“Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey”
Back Label
“Single Barrel”
“In order to create this unique bourbon, the finest barrels are selected and tasted from the best aging warehouses. Only those barrels deemed ‘exceptional’ are then bottled individually, one by one. This preserves the distinct character of each barrel. This superior bourbon has flavors of rich butterscotch and caramel notes, delicately balanced with hints of fruit and toffee.”
“Distilled and bottled by Barton 1792 Distillery, Bardstown, KY”
“1792@greatbourbon.com – 866-729-3722”
Distillery Background
Barton 1792 Distillery
The history of the Barton 1792 Distillery, in Bardstown, Kentucky, can be traced back over 140 years ago to its recognized established date of 1879. Just a few years earlier in 1874, two gentlemen (also brothers-in-law), Benjamin F. Mattingly and Thomas S. Moore, would work alongside each other at a distillery business owned by their father-in-law’s company Willett & Franke. Two years later, John D. Willett would hand over the whole business to Mattingly and Moore. In 1879, while they ran the newly inherited business, Tom Moore would build the Mattingly and Moore Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. The partnership would not last long though because Mattingly would sell his shares in the distillery to a third party investor group in 1881. Tom Moore remained at the distillery for 18 years until he decided to strike out on his own, purchasing the neighboring property and building his own distillery. As fate would have it, the old Mattingly and Moore Distillery would eventually file for bankruptcy and eventually be reacquired by Tom Moore. In 1916, Moore would merge the neighboring facilities into the Tom Moore Distillery, which would operate right up until prohibition.
Like many distilleries during prohibition, the Tom Moore Distillery would be forced to stop production until 1934 when Moore’s son, Con, re-opened the distillery and ran it for the next 10 years. In 1944, Con Moore would make the decision to leave the whiskey distilling business and sell the distillery to Chicago businessman, Oscar Getz. Mr. Getz would randomly name the distillery the Barton Distillery, which would later become Barton Brands. Under Getz’s direction, Barton Brands would see great expansion, including the purchase of a distillery in Owensboro, KY. This expansion would make the company ripe for yet another ownership change almost 50 years later.
In 1993 the Barton Brands would be purchased by a New York company, Canandaigna Wine Company. This company purchased Barton Brands with an focus on distilling brandy products at the Bardstown Distillery. Five years later, Canandaigna would transition into wine and spirits giant, Constellation Brands. In 2002, following the ebbs and flows of the industry, Constellation decided to launch a top shelf bourbon product called 1792 Ridgemont Reserve.
In 2009, the distillery would again change hands as it is purchased by Sazerac Company, Inc. (Louisiana). Sazerac changed the name of the distillery to the Barton 1792 Distillery so as to highlight the facility’s flagship Kentucky bourbon. In addition to the 1792 line-up, the Barton 1792 Distillery also produces Very Old Barton, Kentucky Tavern, Kentucky Gentleman, Ten High, Colonel Lee, Zachariah Harris and Tom Moore spirits.
Sources: Whiskey University, Louisvillefuture.com and Ellenjaye.com
1792 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
So why 1792? Well, June 1, 1792 is the year that Kentucky became the 15th state of the Union. So this bourbon was named 1792 to commemorate that time in Kentucky history. The Barton 1792 Distillery distills and bottles its 1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey in Bardstown Kentucky. The distillery is located on 196 acres, housing 29 aging warehouses, 22 other operational buildings, and the Tom Moore Spring. The mash bill is undisclosed, but is indicated to be a high rye recipe. The Small Batch offering takes multiple barrels which are blended by the Master Distiller. The 1792 Single Barrel, like the one reviewed today, is bottled from one hand selected barrel of the traditional 1792 recipe. Other offerings under the 1792 label include 1792 Sweet Wheat, 1792 Aged Twelve Years, 1792 High Rye, 1792 Full Proof, 1792 Bottled-in-Bond and 1792 Port Finish.
For more information, visit the Barton 1792 Distillery website.
Tasting Notes
Tasting Date/Vessel: August 2, 2020 – Neat in Glencairn Glass
Nose
Christian: Very first nose brought a light aroma of green bananas and lots of ethanol. As I continued to allow the aromatics to develop, hints of apple cinnamon oatmeal, vanilla bean, and butterscotch become more noticeable. Water allows a bit of brown sugar and floral notes to join the nose, however, ethanol is still strong.
Mike: I initially picked up green bananas then noticed a smooth transition to caramel sauce. Brown sugar and cinnamon notes surface as I nose in deeper. Drawing back slowly, the green banana fragrances become more artificial and candy like, very reminiscent of banana flavored Runts. A gentle swirl in the glass mingles the flavors, releasing a pleasing bouquet of bananas foster that quickly fades.
Mouth
Christian: The mouth feel on this bourbon is thin and airy. The flavor profile on the palate is surprisingly earthy. I begin to detect some hints of vanilla bean, caramel, and honey but they are very difficult to pick out. The flavor profile of a plain graham cracker or animal cracker comes to mind. Water allows a bit of oak and a slight hint of smoke to become detectable.
Mike: The rye spiciness is very pronounced. It is thin on the lips and tongue and departs with a mellow sweetness. Dried apple aromas develop on the back of the tongue and then a palatable dark cocoa bitterness emerges.
Finish
Christian: The finish is dry and relatively short. A slight burn comes very late way down in my chest. The finish is underwhelming with the earthiness remaining present. Flavors of alfalfa hay and a very light hint of stone fruit, such as peach, are present. With the addition of water, I picked up the addition of almond and mint.
Mike: Medium to long finish that seems to dissipate quickly in the throat, then the warmth collects and redevelops in the chest as it moves to the abdomen. A fresh minty tingle lingers in the mouth after consumption.
Our Rating
Final Thoughts
Christian: This bottle of 1792 Single Barrel is not my favorite pour. The nose, mouth, and finish are all a bit bland and fall flat. A lot of ethanol really makes it difficult to pull out flavors and takes away from the overall experience. This bourbon comes off as young and under-developed. I recall a previous bottle of 1792 Single Barrel being equally as hot, however, bringing more of punch of flavor. This barrel just seems to miss the mark for me. The overall lack of complexity and bland taste leave me turning to other single barrel offerings within the same price point.
Rating: 2.5 Rickhouses
Mike: The banana aromas in the nose were very surprising. The nose was complex and enticing, but the mouth and finish seemed to fall short. Overall this bourbon is a touch disappointing. This doesn’t stack up to other offerings I’ve had from 1792/Barton brand and does not showcase what their distillery is capable of producing.
Rating: 2.875 Rickhouses
Conclusion: Overall this 1792 Single Barrel provided an underwhelming and flat experience. This offering just lacked complexity on the palate that leaves the consumer desiring so much more. We acknowledge that variations within a Single Barrel product is common and perhaps this barrel just wasn’t one of 1792’s finer showings.
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