Bardstown Bourbon 2026 Discovery Uses Rare Garryana Oak at 112.8 Proof

Bardstown Bourbon Company tells BourbonBlog.com they are moving its acclaimed Discovery Series into a new annual era with the release of Bardstown Bourbon 2026 Discovery, a blend of 7-, 10- and 11-year-old bourbons finished in rare Oregon Garryana oak.

The whiskey spent four additional months in hand-harvested Garryana oak barrels custom-toasted for three hours by Oregon Barrel Works. It is bottled at 112.8 proof, or 56.4% ABV.

Bardstown Bourbon 2026 Discovery will be released nationwide in limited quantities beginning August 21, 2026, with a suggested retail price of $139.99.

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What Makes this Discovery Release Meaningful for Bardstown

Bardstown Bourbon Company is making two meaningful changes with 2026 Discovery.

First, the company is moving away from sequentially numbered Discovery editions and introducing annual releases. Second, it is taking a mature blend of Indiana and Kentucky bourbons and giving it an additional four months in one of America’s most distinctive native oak species.

Garryana oak—also called Oregon white oak—can contribute powerful spice, smoke, herbal character and dark wood notes. The challenge is using it without allowing those flavors to overwhelm the underlying whiskey.

The foundation here is substantial enough to take that risk. More than half of the blend is 10-year-old Indiana bourbon, supported by 11-year-old and 7-year-old Kentucky bourbons.

The custom three-hour barrel toast and four-month finishing period suggest that Bardstown wanted the Garryana to contribute structure and complexity without burying the fruit and mature oak already present in the blend.

What Is Bardstown Bourbon 2026 Discovery?

The Discovery Series has traditionally been organized around numbered releases, with each edition featuring a different combination of mature whiskeys.

Beginning with this expression, Bardstown Bourbon Company is transitioning Discovery from numbered batches to annual editions. The change makes 2026 Discovery the opening release in the series’ new annual format.

The whiskey combines:

• 55% 10-year-old Indiana bourbon
• 25% 11-year-old Kentucky bourbon
• 20% 7-year-old Kentucky bourbon

Bardstown selected the original barrels for their balance of mature oak and fruit. The completed blend was then transferred into custom Garryana oak barrels for four additional months.

Dan Callaway, Master Blender for Lofted Spirits, says the project began with a straightforward question:

“Discovery asked how far we could take an already exceptional blend.”

What Is Garryana Oak?

Garryana oak, also known as Oregon white oak, is native to the Pacific Northwest and grows prominently in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

It is substantially less common in whiskey production than traditional American white oak. Its relative scarcity, dense grain and distinctive flavor contribution have made it an intriguing finishing wood for American distillers.

The barrels used for 2026 Discovery were constructed by Oregon Barrel Works from hand-harvested Garryana oak. Each barrel received a custom three-hour toast intended to unlock additional spice, wood sugar and complexity.

Bardstown selected summer maturation to increase the whiskey’s interaction with the wood. After four months, the whiskey was gradually proofed before bottling.

Bardstown Bourbon’s Second Garryana Oak Release

2026 Discovery is Bardstown Bourbon Company’s second commercial exploration of Garryana oak.

The company previously used the wood for Distillery Reserve Cascadia, a highly limited experimental release. Incorporating Garryana into Discovery brings the wood into one of Bardstown Bourbon Company’s best-known nationally distributed series.

Official 2026 Discovery Tasting Notes

Bardstown Bourbon Company describes layers of toasted oak supported by burnt sugar and baked apple cobbler.

Dried cherry and cinnamon bark develop across the palate, leading to a long, warming finish accented by the Garryana oak.

New Annual Discovery Artwork

For the first time, Bardstown Bourbon Company’s annual releases feature original commissioned artwork inspired by the whiskey itself.

Louisville artist Margaret Archambault experienced 2026 Discovery and translated its aromas, flavors, texture and personality into an original painting. That artwork now appears on the bottle and packaging.

The new artwork accompanies the broader transition from sequentially numbered Discovery editions to annual releases.