I'm excited about this week's whiskey. I love Scotches, especially from the peaty, smoky malts from the Inner Hebrides. I also really enjoy the bourbons Bardstown is regularly putting out, a sweet, smooth and rich ode to America's finest spirit.
Combine the two and you've got a spirit marketed directly at me. Bardstown's Lochs of Jura is a bourbon/rye blend aged in traditional and sherry casks, then finally finished with 32 months in Scotch barrels from the Isle of Jura (which begin their journey as bourbon casks. It's a whiskey circle of life).
That can be a tricky line to walk, but good distillers find a way to crush that balance. Bunnahabhain's Ceobanach is an Islay malt with some bourbon influences lurking inside and it's my favorite spirit
(albeit one nearly impossible to find stateside).
That leaves massive expectations for Bardstown's 2026 offering. Fortunately, I've got the video review here:
Let's head to the full breakdown below.
Bardstown Lochs of Jura Barrel Finish: B
It smells much lighter than you'd expect for a blend with some bold influences. Despite the rye blend and the Scotch barrel finish, the aroma is sweet, with a nutty caramel to it that's almost chocolatey.
The first sip is a journey. You get the bourbon up front as it hits your tongue with sugar and a little bit of stone fruit, enhanced by the sherry casks involved. Then, a wave of brine clocks in, giving you the Jura influence of the Hebrides. Finally, the rye makes an appearance with a spicy, bready finish that lingers on your tongue.
It's complex, and though the flavors don't all work together it's a pleasant ride. I would like more of an Islay (or Jura) vibe with some smoky, peaty flavors, but that doesn't come through. The spirit itself is smooth, and the rye kick at the end scratches an itch, finishing with a dryness that balances out its early sweetness well. It's not my favorite Bardstown offering, which is a bit of a disappointment, but it's still a solid dram.
Would I drink it instead of a Hamm's?
This a pass/fail mechanism where I compare whatever I’m drinking to my baseline cheap beer. That’s the standby from the land of sky-blue waters, Hamm’s. So the question to answer is: on a typical day, would I drink Bardstown's Lochs of Jura Barrel Finish over a cold can of Hamm’s?
Yes, even if it didn't live up to my lofty expectations. It's very difficult to marry a sweet bourbon with the peaty, smoky elements of the Hebrides. It works well enough as a whiskey -- smooth, deep and flavorful -- but you can do better across the broad Bardstown portfolio.
This is part of FTW’s Beverage of the Week series. Here, we mostly chronicle and review beers, but happily expand that scope to any beverage that pairs well with sports. Yes, even cookie dough whiskey.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Bardstown Lochs of Jura whiskey review: Bourbon, rye AND Scotch?
