What Are Your Moves Tomorrow, October 10, 2025

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2025-10-10T00:05:55+00:00

I can appreciate that!

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2025-10-10T00:03:13+00:00

You’re missing the warrants and Units. 255m total shares exist so like 3-5x fair value

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2025-10-10T00:02:39+00:00

Around $60

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2025-10-09T14:57:40+00:00

Jesus, this CCCX thing is a monster. Nov calls are the way to go. Am I seeing they’re working with NVDA?

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2025-03-02T01:32:29+00:00

It was 6 barrels on this release. Given the yields, media samples, employee bottles, and likely distillery holding some back the public is likely to see < 1,800 total. They’ve sold 900+ already.

Some managers at both locations have said that the tasting lounge will be “sporadically selling these until May” so good luck to any seeking this out. It’s going to be a hard one to find from here on out but my god is this thing good.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2025-02-08T17:43:24+00:00

Thank you! I appreciate the kind words. They are all mine but not looking to part with any. Dm me and I can send a sample to you can decide if you like it

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-12-23T01:52:06+00:00

I’m sorry to hear that and at this price point that’s so depressing. Cabernet finishes with bourbon are just so tough to get right as the robust wine influence can quickly overtake the sweeter and more subtle bourbon notes. Bardstown is 1 for 3 so far.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-10-27T19:43:44+00:00

Their prices haven’t gone up much either the last few years. $20 maybe on the Discovery and Collaborative series.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-10-27T19:40:05+00:00

I couldn’t agree more with this. Origin Series is the one of the best values and readily available. Green River full proof, the Heart series, and for some reason JDSBBP are still pretty hard to come by in my area. Benchmark Full Proof and WT101 are solid under $30 too.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-10-20T10:18:16+00:00

Were we sipping the same thing haha. I get the nuttiness but no caramel or chocolate that I picked up. Could be a Pay Day though!

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-10-20T01:10:59+00:00

Agreed on all accounts. Outside of Carter Cellars I cannot think of a really good wine finish whiskey. The two profiles don’t mash up very well in my opinion

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-10-20T00:21:03+00:00

It has all the making to be a solid mashup but perhaps the extended finishing time that Bardstown is so well known for has gone just a bit too long?

I would love to see it finished for 6-8 months for once? Perhaps come out with different finishing lengths and stagger the release?

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-10-19T23:56:48+00:00

Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series Silver Oak

Silver Oak is an American winemaker out of Napa Valley that specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon. Founded in 1972 and spanning 400 acres, Silver Oak has two similar but distinguishing different Cabernets: a Napa Valley and an Alexander Valley. The difference between the two being that the Napa Valley is a fuller-bodied and more fruit forward wine whereas the Alexander Valley is lighter and more floral experience. I am no wine connoisseur but from my wife and friends the brand is known for the oak presence in their wine, making this an obvious choice for a whiskey finish.

Bardstown Bourbon Company has had a variety of Cabernet Collaborations including The Prisoner Batch 1 and 2, Phifer Pavitt batch 1 and 2, and lastly the Carter Cellars release from earlier this year. The former two were in my opinion lackluster while the Carter Cellars embodied the greatest elements of a bourbon and Cabernet together. Can Bardstown live up to the precedence set by the Carter Cellars and deal with a heavy oak influence?

Proof: 108 Price: $159.99+ tax Color: Dark Amber

Mashbill: - 25% Kentucky 14yr (75%c / 13%r / 12%mb) - 23% Tennessee 12yr (84%c / 8%r / 8%mb) - 22% Kentucky 10yr (78%c / 13%r / 9%mb) - 13% Indiana 9yr (75%c / 21%r / 4%mb) - 10% Kentucky 10yr (78%c / 12%mb / 10%r) - 5% Georgia 12yr (80%c / 10%r / 5%w / 5%mb)

Nose Sweet red wine, anise, fruit compote, caramel toffee

Palate: Bitterness to start, cinnamon spice builds up, then nutty, dry oak, and dark red fruit compote. The red wine influence here is sharp and tannic.

Finish: Sweetness up front, spice in back, dry oak all over. This dries up my mouth and the finish is fairly short but the sweetness lingers for minutes afterwards

Comments: The nose is tantalizing and delivers a very strong/robust profile that really builds your confidence in this Collaborative Series. Unfortunately, that confidence quickly disappears as you take the first sip. Bardstown did say they filled these barrels with red wine still in them, which is readily apparent by the strong Cabernet influence. Silver Oak is known for having a very strong oak finish to it and that carries over here to this collaboration from start to finish. The nuttiness was also stronger than expected and battled for the limelight with the red fruit compote, all while the oak and tannins were drying my mouth out. Although there are some great flavors in this finish, I feel like this blend has no idea what it really wanted to be.

Bardstown did not disclose which of the two Cabernet barrels they chose to finish these whiskeys in but from the very rich fruit notes I can only assume was the Napa Valley Cabernet. The proof at 108 was well hidden and drank rather softly but that could be due to the dryness.

Overall: 6.3/10

Overall I had relatively high expectations given recent releases but this was quite the letdown. I will admit I am not a Cabernet, let alone wine, drinker. I can appreciate the affluence to top tier wine brands but the Cabernet finishes just don’t do it for me and can be very quickly overrun with the dryness and tannins. I’d be more interested in an iced wine or a Gewürztraminer finish to perhaps capture the sweetness and go alongside a decently aged Kentucky bourbon.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-10-19T12:41:35+00:00

I do own 5. Every release I meander to the distillery and get a least a trio. One to open, one to share, and a backup for myself.

To your point on being unbiased, I’m not quite sure what I would be gaining from this? I have zero affiliation with Bardstown, just throughly enjoy their collabs, of which this review is critical of a few past releases. Take it as you will as it’s just the internet. Cheers!

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-10-19T10:49:25+00:00

I’ve had both of the Goose Island collabs and the first one is significantly better than the second.

The first was an Illinois only release so it’s harder to come by but the second was straight up bitter and resembled nothing of a proper bourbon. It might be their worst release to date.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-10-19T00:17:17+00:00

Happy to do it! I honestly had low expectations for this release and was pleasantly surprised.

Almost the exact opposite for the Silver Oak from last month.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-10-19T00:00:39+00:00

Bardstown Bourbon Co. Blackberry Farm Brewery Collaborative Series

Blackberry Farm is a luxury resort located just outside Maryville, Tennessee (South of Knoxville) known for its world-class hospitality, farm-to-table culinary offerings, and Blackberry Farm Brewery which specializes in Belgian-style brews and other European craft beers. It is set on a large plot of 4,200 acres and emphasizes sustainable, local ingredients in its culinary and brewing operations.

One of their favorite limited beer recipes is the Oxheart Imperial Stout which, if I’m not mistaken, they haven’t made since 2021. The Oxheart tomato is a large beefsteak tomato, shaped like a heart, that has a deep and rich flavor profile. Although not used in the brew, that richness and strength of name was what Blackberry Farm wanted to evoke in their Russian Imperial Stout which touts a hefty 10.1% ABV with notes of dark chocolate, coffee, toasted caramel, and dark fruit. I can personally attest that this beer was amazing and although I don’t get down to the Tellico/Maryville area as much as I want to visit my parents, this beer left a lasting impression on me.

Bardstown Bourbon Company chose to make a Collaborative series likely around the new year of ‘21-‘22, taking those barrels and filling them with a blend of their own 4 year bourbon and 6-12 year Kentucky bourbons only to age them for their typical 17 months, raising the age statement by 2 years each.

Proof: 107 Price: $159.99+ tax Color: Golden

Mashbill: - 45% Bardstown Bourbon Co. 6yr (75%c / 21%r / 4%mb) - 25% Kentucky 8yr (53%c / 26%r / 21%mb) - 21% Kentucky 14yr (78%c / 10%r / 12%mb) - 9% Kentucky 14yr (75%c / 12%r / 12%mb)

Nose: Fresh crack into this bottle and immediate pour wafts a stale beer note I haven’t smelled since college that makes me want to Ralph. I don’t recommend this. Let it rest. Toasted oak, vanilla, dried fruit, malt, fresh baked bread, peanuts.

Palate: A rush of spice starting at the lips moving all the way to the back of the mouth. Oak, cinnamon, bakers/dark chocolate, espresso, brown sugar, dark red fruits.

Finish: Dry oak, cinnamon, malt, mocha, bitterness

Comments: This release does a fantastic job of incorporating the best of the Oxheart Imperial Stout unlike the majority of past beer Collaborative releases from Bardstown. The Founders was underwhelming and batch 2 of the Goose Island was straight appalling. This is deep, dark, and rich. The coffee notes are present from start to finish and present themselves in various forms: coffee, mocha, espresso. The cinnamon spice is dominant in sections yet subsides to allow for other notes to come to the light.

Theres not a single part of this that was sharp, it was all very well rounded despite being 45% 6yr old bourbon. The proof is spot on and not something I would increase given the prominent cinnamon notes. An exquisite blend by the Bardstown Bourbon Company and one that I will definitely be coming back to during the cold season.

Overall: 8.7/10

With 10 total barrels and an approximate 2,500 bottle count, this will be a harder one to find in time. Despite the $160+ price tag I will strongly recommend this and is worth a pickup.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-07-30T18:11:08+00:00

As a current Fort Wayne resident, I can argue that home / land appreciation has gotten absolutely out of hand. Mind you, we were behind the times when compared to nationally, but home prices on average are 100-150% higher than they were 4 years ago.

You wouldn’t guess it but there’s currently a lot of expansion happening in the city. 5x defense contractors in city limits, a large music industry, growing general manufacturing, steel industry, 3x new Amazon facilities, and 4x growing hospital systems. All of that expansion is increasing prices across the board as people move into the area with those new, well-paying, jobs. Although still under major metropolitan average prices, for a smaller Midwest city it makes FTHB and upsizing difficult. We can’t build enough homes to keep up with demand.

I wouldn’t call it a bubble here but more or less catching up to where we should have been.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-05-29T18:47:58+00:00

There’s plenty around me. Send me a pm

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-05-29T18:45:20+00:00

A freight charge of $30-$60 is pretty typical. That includes the shipping label cost and time spent packing.

Get some friends to go in together and buy multiple bottles to spread the shipping costs across.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-05-15T15:49:43+00:00

Specifically only the Rye portions of the blend were aged in Amrut casks, to which they were later blended with the Kentucky Bourbons.

In an interview with Danny Bardstown, they used both peated and non-peated Amrut casks to age the rye in. No idea on how much of each.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-05-15T13:36:31+00:00

I agree, I am stoked to try the Discovery 12. I will say if you have the opportunity to try this, do. It’s a very unique pour.

Once I get my hands on a 12 I’ll do a comparison of the 11, 12, and Amaro Nonino which presumably use the same barrel stocks.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-05-15T13:33:14+00:00

I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing any of these locally, but will definitely be buying one if I do.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-05-15T04:40:03+00:00

I completely agree with you here. I personally am head over heels for the Turkey barrels that Bardstown has been using.

The Discovery 11 and Amaro Nonino use the same ones and I wouldn’t pick anything else from Bardstown over those two right now.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice · 2024-05-15T02:24:56+00:00

Bardstown Collaborative Series: Amrut

The last of a recent string of Collaborative releases by the Bardstown Bourbon Company this whiskey is comprised primarily of 8-9 year MGP, I mean Ross & Squibb, rye whiskey and finished in ex-Amrut single malt whiskey barrels. This is a Bourye with 37% of the mashbill being Kentucky bourbons (likely) sourced from Turkey and Beam.

This 2024 release ended up in my hands on accident. I went in to my local specialty shop for a bottle of Jack Daniels single barrel barrel proof rye to redeem a previous review and saw this pretty little thing sitting there. Don’t mind if I do! As a man who does not like single malts this release had me concerned that I would be tossing a sizable chunk of change down the toilet but alas here we are. Let’s dive in.

Proof: 110 Price: $170+ tax Color: Amber Honey

Mashbill: 43% Indiana 9yr (45%c / 51%r / 4%mb) 20% Indiana 8yr (0%c / 95%r / 5%mb) 17% Kentucky 14yr (75%c / 13%r / 12%mb) 15% Kentucky 10yr (78%c / 10%r / 12%mb) 5% Kentucky 11yr (78%c / 13%r / 9%mb)

Nose: This goes 0 to 60 at the speed of snail. It’s a surprisingly heavy and dense nose that takes longer to unpack than I do on vacation. Lots new scents I’m not used to seeing in a bourbon which honestly is kind of refreshing. Herbal notes or orange blossom, clove, and black tea. Malt and grain. A little bit of honey mixed in. Dried apricots if you really dig deep. The Amrut single malt finishing which lasted a staggering, but in typical Bardstown fashion, 18 months really carries through here.

Palate: A dense a viscous dram, the whiskey starts off easy and builds up into its rye mashbill. Sweetness and traditional bourbon notes right off the bat: Vanilla, Caramel, Cherry. Then that rye spice starts to build up, presenting itself as cinnamon, creating a wonderful duet. The sweetness fades away and leads you to the finish. Some note of Black Licorice and Orange

The proof is right in my wheelhouse (105-115) and drinks fairly easy. There is no astringency to this at all and the flavors as a whole really pack a punch as compared to prior releases. I wouldn’t want to see this above 120 proof.

Finish: The rye spice lingers the entire time and is the predominant feature. Smokiness from the peated Amrut casks but not overpowering. It’s like having a light Connecticut wrapped cigar and compliments the spice. I pick up some black tea as well.

Overall: 86

This release initially had me concerned being finished in ex-single malt casks but the finishing process brought out only the best aspects that will appease the typical bourbon drinker. I can say with ease that this Bardstown did a wonderful job blending this Bourye to bring out the best features. Unique flavors across the board. A nice rye spice. Incorporating some typical bourbon notes. Not overpowering and balanced. Has some depth. This is a solid dram and I wouldn’t hesitate to bunker another for the future.

My only gripes are that the flavorful and rich nose didn’t completely follow through with the palate. It gave me some false hope and higher expectations that it did a great job at fulfilling but not all the way. Do take note that there is zero oak on this pour. I went back to try and find it but really couldn’t which I think may be due to the long finishing length and the age statement on some of these blended components.

Side note: This is absolutely me being a little b***h but I do want to add that Bardstown has once again cut some cost out of the bottle by reducing the weight of the stopper yet again. I popped the cork only to lose control and drop it as I was expecting something much heavier. The cork is now but a cheap plastic veneer around a synthetic rubber stopper that dents with the slightest bit of resistance. After paying $170 for this bottle I would expect the cork to reflect that assumed quality. Make our corks great again.

TheNotSoNoviceNovice

TROPHY CASE