Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series #5
Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series #5 (94.9 proof / 47.45% ABV, 750mL) is a Kentucky straight bourbon blend that fuses exemplary 11-year-old sourced bourbon with two of Bardstown's own estate mash bills — 56% 4-year and 14% 3-year estate bourbon alongside 30% 11-year sourced Kentucky stock. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- 94.9 proof (47.45% ABV); 750mL bottle
- 56% 4-year Bardstown estate (70% corn / 18% rye / 12% malted barley) + 14% 3-year estate (60% corn / 26% rye / 10% wheat / 4% malted barley)
- 30% 11-year sourced Kentucky bourbon (75% corn / 13% rye / 12% malted barley)
- Official notes: bread pudding, caramelized plantains, orange zest, dark chocolate, Bing cherry
- Distilled and blended in Bardstown, Kentucky — the Bourbon Capital of the World
Young and Old, Fused by Design
The Fusion Series is Bardstown Bourbon Company's founding idea: as its own distillate ages, each release pairs more estate-made bourbon with carefully sourced older stock. Fusion #5, released in 2021, leans hard on youth — 70% of the blend is three- and four-year-old estate bourbon from its two house mash bills — anchored by an 11-year-old sourced Kentucky bourbon that brings the depth. Master Distiller Steve Nally called the #5 releases "truly some of our most unique blends yet," noting how much more of the distillery's own whiskey shows in the blend with each new entry.
Tasting Notes
Rich bread pudding and caramelized plantains with a touch of orange zest open the nose and palate, leading to flavors of dark chocolate and Bing cherry. Independent tasters note bananas Foster, baking spices, brown sugar, and a bright citrus edge. It concludes with Bardstown's signature smooth, balanced fusion finish — built, the brand says, for a cocktail or a summer sipper.
How to Enjoy
At 94.9 proof it pours beautifully neat or over a large cube, and the high-rye estate mash bills make it a standout in an Old Fashioned or a whiskey sour. A splash of water opens the caramelized-plantain and dark-chocolate notes further.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the proof of Bardstown Bourbon Fusion Series #5? It is bottled at 94.9 proof (47.45% ABV), per the distillery's official release.
What bourbons are blended in Fusion #5? Three Kentucky straight bourbons: 56% 4-year-old and 14% 3-year-old Bardstown estate distillate, plus 30% 11-year-old sourced Kentucky bourbon — each with its own disclosed mash bill.
Is Fusion Series #5 still available? The Fusion Series moved on to later numbers after #5's 2021 release, so remaining bottles are back-barrel finds worth grabbing while they last.
How does Fusion differ from Discovery? Fusion blends Bardstown's estate distillate with sourced bourbon; Discovery is sourced-only — and the first Fusion release made Whisky Advocate's Top 20 Whiskies of 2019.
Find Bardstown Bourbon Company Fusion Series #5 online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA — a slice of the distillery's history, ready to ship.