Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series Maison Ferrand Finish II
Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series Maison Ferrand Finish II is the second Bardstown × Maison Ferrand collaboration: a blend of straight whiskeys — 73% 9-year Kentucky bourbon (74/18/8), 10% 11-year Kentucky bourbon (78/13/9), 10% 12-year Kentucky bourbon (75/13/12), and 7% 6-year Bardstown rye (95/5) — finished 15 months in Ferrand Cognac casks shipped from Cognac, France. Bottled at 111.8 proof (55.9% ABV), 750mL, Double Gold at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition — available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
The relationship deepened from the 2022 Ferrand Finish I, which used only an 8-month cognac finish; Finish II nearly doubles it to 15 months. Alexandre Gabriel of Maison Ferrand partnered with Bardstown Master Blender Dan Callaway, who notes that the addition of rye "adds spice and structure, creating something both familiar and adventurous." Released August 29, 2025, as part of the Collaborative Series alongside Discovery #13.
Tasting notes: black cherry, toasted oak, vanilla cream, and spice on the nose; baked apple, pecan, raisin, and balanced oak tannins on the palate; a long, rich finish of candied fruit, wood, and a hint of mint. The Whiskey Wash's reviewed bottle found toasted oak, caramel, crushed peppercorns, and orange peel up front, with cashew fruit, dried banana, and melted butter through the middle.
Why buy Ferrand Finish II? Because it is the stronger, longer-finished second chapter of one of the best-received collaborations in the series — a 111.8-proof blend built for whiskey and cognac lovers alike, with a Double Gold from San Francisco. Browse the Bardstown Bourbon Company brand collection, more bourbon whiskey, and other fine whiskies.
Serving note: neat or with a single cube — the 111.8-proof frame rewards slow sipping; a splash of water opens the cognac-cask fruit.
Is Ferrand Finish II a bourbon? No — it is labeled a Blend of Straight Whiskey: Kentucky straight bourbons plus Bardstown's own rye, finished in Ferrand Cognac casks.
What proof is Ferrand Finish II? 111.8 proof (55.9% ABV) per Bardstown's official product page — an early press release said 107, but the shipped product is 111.8.
How long was the cognac finish? 15 months in Ferrand Cognac casks — nearly double the 8 months on 2022's Ferrand Finish I.
Did it win any awards? Yes — Double Gold at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.