Bardstown Bourbon Unveils Cascadia Garryana Oak Barrel Finish Bourbon

Rare Pacific Northwest oak delivers a bold, spice-forward finish in this limited whiskey exploration

BARDSTOWN, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following a highly successful debut year, Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Distillery Reserve returns in 2026 with Cascadia Garryana Oak Barrel Finish, a limited release bourbon that continues the brand’s commitment to small-format innovation and boundary-pushing whiskey design. Finished in barrels crafted from rare Oregon white oak, this release highlights an exceptionally scarce American hardwood known for imparting distinctive character unlike any other in American whiskey. Cascadia will be available in extremely limited quantities beginning March 20, 2026.

Garryana oak, also known as Oregon White Oak, is native to the Pacific Northwest and grows most comfortably in the lush Willamette Valley. Prized for its strength and scarcity, its use in whiskey barrels remains a rare craft tradition. Garryana Oak cannot be farmed or cut at will, gathered only from fallen trees and sanctioned harvests. Its dense grain slows oxidation and evaporation and lends flavors like clove and nutmeg, closer to French Oak than American White Oak.

Distillery Reserve Cascadia begins with a blend of three exceptional bourbons – aged nine and 10 years – each featuring a different mashbill of corn, rye and malted barley. After the whiskey was blended, it was then rested for 10 months in 10 custom Garryana oak barrels handmade by Oregon Barrel Works, a micro-cooperage producing just 1,000 barrels per year. Unique to this release, these barrels feature a three-hour toast to unlock additional layers of spice and complexity found deep inside the red layer. They were then aged on the 6th floor of the warehouse in Bardstown over the course of the summer for maximum extraction. After aging, the liquid was gradually proofed over time for the blend to fully integrate in advance of bottling.

"It was a thrill to partner with Oregon Barrel Works, who truly operates from tree to barrel. The definition of hands-on artisan coopering," said Dan Callaway, Master Blender, Bardstown Bourbon Company. "Its structure and chemistry create a flavor experience unlike any other — rich, spicy, and deeply expressive of its origin. This release is a celebration of craftsmanship and the beauty of regional terroir."

The resulting whiskey is singular. Decadent maple layered on toasted oak, toffee, and vanilla créme leads to a full-bodied palate of baked cherry, cigar box, and butterscotch, finishing with medium tannins coated with rich wood sugar.

Cascadia Garryana Oak Barrel Finish is presented at 107.5 proof (53.75% alc. by vol.) and offered for $99.99 in the Distillery Reserve’s signature 375mL format. The Distillery Reserve is available exclusively at Bardstown Bourbon’s distillery gift shop and its Tasting Room in Louisville.

Launched in 2025, the Distillery Reserve is a platform for small-scale innovation, offering one-time-only releases that explore the boundaries of whiskey through experimental finishes, extended aging, and uncommon blending. Prior releases, including Cathedral French Oak, Hokkaido Mizunara Oak and Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel were praised by critics and consumers alike as stand-out whiskeys that cemented Bardstown’s reputation for bold innovation.

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ABOUT BARDSTOWN BOURBON

Bardstown Bourbon Company is pushing the boundaries of innovation while honoring the traditional art of making great whiskey. With the most modern, technically advanced whiskey distillery, Bardstown Bourbon combines the highest quality distillation and spirited hospitality into a modern, authentic bourbon experience unlike any other on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail™. Bardstown Bourbon Co. is working to push the entire industry in a direction that is more innovative, more transparent and more collaborative. Bardstown Bourbon was named Icons of Whisky Global Brand Innovator of the Year (2025), IWSC’s Worldwide Whisky Producer of the Year (2023), and the only brand represented on Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 list in five different years (2019, 2021-2025). Bardstown Bourbon Co. is part of Lofted Spirits, one of the largest American Whiskey distillers in the U.S. For more information visit https://bardstownbourbon.com.