Bardstown Bourbon Company, in Bardstown, Kentucky, the Bourbon Capital of the World, has announced the release of its latest Distillery Reserve bourbon finished with the once forbidden flavor of Calvados casks. The latest release proves there is nowhere they won’t go to push the boundaries of whiskey innovation made with an elevated marriage of French tradition and American craft.
‘We Must Protect the French Wine Brandy Trade’
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Once forbidden by the Minister of State Jean-Baptiste Colbert to protect the French wine brandy trade, cider eau-de-vie, Calvados, made the journey from the white chalk cliffs of Normandy to the home of bourbon innovation, Bardstown Bourbon Company, resulting in a decadent and unexpected blend aptly named Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel Finish.
This release emphasizes Bardstown Bourbon’s promise to push the boundaries of traditional whiskey production, crafting bespoke products through experimental finishes, extended aging and uncommon blending. Nowhere is this approach more evident than through the Distillery Reserve. Extremely limited in quantity and packaged at 375mL, Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel Finish is the third and final Distillery Reserve release of 2025. Previous small-batch explorations in the series include Cathedral French Oak and Hokkaido Mizunara Oak, each distinctly showcasing how relentless innovation and global curiosity fuel the brand’s rapid growth.
“Three generations of meticulous craftsmanship and nearly 300 gold medals have made Christian Drouin House an icon of Calvados,” said Dan Callaway, Master Blender, Lofted Spirits. “Over the course of the past two years, these five barrels have become the apple of my eye – the most attention per barrel project aging in Bardstown. The result: a cross-continental conversation in a glass that bridges centuries of tradition on both sides of the Atlantic.”
12 & 13 Year Old Bourbon Matured for 28 Months in Calvados Brandy Barrels + 4 Months in Toasted Oak
Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel Finish is a tasting experience borne of curiosity. Each 59-gallon Calvados cask was filled with a custom bourbon blend of stock aged between 12 and 13 years. After a 28-month slumber, the whiskey settled into new, medium-toast American white oak, coaxing out layers of caramel, spice and roasted almond. The result is an elegant confluence of crisp orchard fruit and velvety bourbon sweetness accented by gentle wood smoke and a whisper of vanilla.
Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel Finish Mash Bill & Tasting Notes
| Blend | Origin | Age | Mash Bill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 76% | Indiana | 13 Years Old | Corn 75%, Rye 21%, Malted Barley 4% |
| 24% | Indiana | 12 Years Old | Corn 75%, Rye 21%, Malted Barley 4% |
Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel Finish tasting notes feature baked honey crisp apple, brown sugar, orange zest, and vanilla cream open to a luxurious palate of puff pastry, butterscotch, and baked cherry. The rounded mouthfeel leads to an absolutely decadent finish that balances toasted oak and Crème Caramel.
Bardstown Bourbon’s Distillery Reserve launched in February of this year to much fanfare with Cathedral 300-Year-Old French Oak, featured on 60 Minutes, and continued with Hokkaido Mizunara Oak finish, awarded as Best Bourbon in both Rolling Stone and Esquire’s 2025 Spirit Awards.
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Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel Finish Distillery Reserve is presented at 104.2 proof (52.1% ABV) and available in extremely limited quantities at Bardstown Bourbon’s distillery gift shop and Louisville Tasting Room beginning Black Friday, November 28, 2025. Distillery Reserve releases are offered in a small format 375mL and have a suggested retail price of $99.99.
Fans Can Sign up for a Digital Raffle for Chance to Buy All 3 ‘Distillery Reserve’ Releases
Bardstown Bourbon Co. will host a digital raffle allowing a limited number of bourbon fans the opportunity to purchase all three 2025 Distillery Reserve releases including Cathedral French Oak and Hokkaido Mizunara Oak, and will offer tasting experiences with Master Blender, Dan Callaway. Details about these offerings will be available exclusively through Bardstown Bourbon’s email list. For more information fans can sign up at BardstownBourbon.com.
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 TrailTM. Bardstown Bourbon Co. is working to push the entire industry in a direction that is more innovative, more transparent and more collaborative.
Bardstown Bourbon Co. is part of Lofted Spirits, one of the largest American Whiskey distillers in the U.S.
Related Story — Bardstown Bourbon Releases ‘Cathedral French Oak’ Bourbon Aged in 300-Year-Old Oak Harvested to Restore Cathédrale Notre-Dame
Learn more about Bardstown Bourbon Company.
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