The Story
Kentucky straight bourbon finished in port wine casks — 1792's exploration of how wine barrel finishing transforms the distillery's characteristic high-rye profile. Rich vanilla, delicate fruit, and a complex layered finish.
1792 Bourbon is produced at the Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky — one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in the United States, established in 1879 and named for the year Kentucky achieved statehood. The distillery's high-rye mashbill produces a bold, spicy bourbon foundation that responds well to additional maturation and finishing treatments.
The Port Finish expression takes this standard 1792 high-rye base and finishes it in port wine casks — barrels previously used to age port wine in Portugal, which carry residual port character absorbed into the wood. The port cask finishing adds layers of dried fruit, dark cherry, and a natural sweetness that complements rather than competes with the bourbon's grain spice. The result is a more complex, fruit-forward 1792 that demonstrates what secondary cask maturation achieves beyond the primary American oak aging.
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Rich vanilla and caramel from the primary maturation, with delicate dried fruit and port-derived sweetness emerging from the finish.
- Palate: The 1792 high-rye spice integrated with the port cask's fruit and sweetness — a more complex and layered profile than straight 1792.
- Finish: Long and complex — the port finishing lingering alongside the bourbon's characteristic warmth.
Specs
- Distillery: Barton 1792 Distillery, Bardstown, Kentucky (est. 1879)
- Style: Port Wine Barrel Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Finishing: Port wine casks
- Size: 750ml
Browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How does 1792's high-rye mashbill respond to port finishing? High-rye bourbons have a naturally assertive spice and grain character. Port cask finishing softens this assertiveness with dried fruit and sweetness, creating a dialogue between the rye spice and the wine cask's fruit character. The result is more balanced and complex than straight 1792.
- How does 1792 Port Finish compare to Angel's Envy? Both are port barrel-finished Kentucky straight bourbons — but different in base spirit character. Angel's Envy uses a wheated bourbon base, producing a sweeter, softer foundation for the port finish. 1792 uses a high-rye base, producing a spicier, more assertive foundation that the port cask works against in a different way.
- What is the Barton 1792 Distillery's heritage? Established in 1879 in Bardstown, Barton 1792 is one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in the United States. The 1792 name commemorates the year Kentucky became a state — a founding moment in American bourbon history.
- Is the 1792 Port Finish still available? Yes — 3 units in stock. Available through specialty retailers.
Description
Kentucky straight bourbon finished in port wine casks — 1792's exploration of how wine barrel finishing transforms the distillery's characteristic high-rye profile. Rich vanilla, delicate fruit, and a complex layered finish.
1792 Bourbon is produced at the Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky — one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in the United States, established in 1879 and named for the year Kentucky achieved statehood. The distillery's high-rye mashbill produces a bold, spicy bourbon foundation that responds well to additional maturation and finishing treatments.
The Port Finish expression takes this standard 1792 high-rye base and finishes it in port wine casks — barrels previously used to age port wine in Portugal, which carry residual port character absorbed into the wood. The port cask finishing adds layers of dried fruit, dark cherry, and a natural sweetness that complements rather than competes with the bourbon's grain spice. The result is a more complex, fruit-forward 1792 that demonstrates what secondary cask maturation achieves beyond the primary American oak aging.
Tasting Notes
- Nose: Rich vanilla and caramel from the primary maturation, with delicate dried fruit and port-derived sweetness emerging from the finish.
- Palate: The 1792 high-rye spice integrated with the port cask's fruit and sweetness — a more complex and layered profile than straight 1792.
- Finish: Long and complex — the port finishing lingering alongside the bourbon's characteristic warmth.
Specs
- Distillery: Barton 1792 Distillery, Bardstown, Kentucky (est. 1879)
- Style: Port Wine Barrel Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon
- Finishing: Port wine casks
- Size: 750ml
Browse all bourbon at Wooden Cork.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How does 1792's high-rye mashbill respond to port finishing? High-rye bourbons have a naturally assertive spice and grain character. Port cask finishing softens this assertiveness with dried fruit and sweetness, creating a dialogue between the rye spice and the wine cask's fruit character. The result is more balanced and complex than straight 1792.
- How does 1792 Port Finish compare to Angel's Envy? Both are port barrel-finished Kentucky straight bourbons — but different in base spirit character. Angel's Envy uses a wheated bourbon base, producing a sweeter, softer foundation for the port finish. 1792 uses a high-rye base, producing a spicier, more assertive foundation that the port cask works against in a different way.
- What is the Barton 1792 Distillery's heritage? Established in 1879 in Bardstown, Barton 1792 is one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in the United States. The 1792 name commemorates the year Kentucky became a state — a founding moment in American bourbon history.
- Is the 1792 Port Finish still available? Yes — 3 units in stock. Available through specialty retailers.
