Skip to content
Episode 394 May 15, 2024 · 43:36
394. Bardstown Bourbon Company with Danny Callaway

394. Bardstown Bourbon Company with Danny Callaway

Danny Calloway of Bardstown Bourbon Company joins Jim to taste Amrut Indian Single Malt and the brand-new Bardstown x Amrut Collaboration release.

The Bourbon Road Media Player

Reviews

Show Notes

Jim Shannon welcomes back Danny Calloway, Vice President of Product Development at Bardstown Bourbon Company, for a deep dive into one of the most unique collaborations in American whiskey. Danny brings his infectious enthusiasm for innovation and transparency as the two explore a category that is finally getting its due on the global stage: Indian single malt whiskey. Before cracking into Bardstown's latest release, Jim and Danny warm up with a pour of Amrut Indian Single Malt — the very whiskey whose barrels served as the finishing vessel for Bardstown's newest collaborative bottling — giving listeners a rare side-by-side educational tasting experience.

On the Tasting Mat:

  • Amrut Indian Single Malt Whisky: A 92-proof, non-chill filtered, 100% Indian barley-based single malt aged in ex-bourbon barrels at 3,000 feet elevation in Bangalore, India. The nose leads with honey and ripe stone fruit, characteristic of barley-forward whiskies. The palate is smooth and approachable with a gentle mid-palate spice and a lighter golden color typical of second-use barrel maturation. A beautiful bridge between Scotch and bourbon in flavor profile. (00:02:04)
  • Bardstown Bourbon Company Amrut Collaboration: A 110-proof American whiskey finished for 18 months in used Amrut Indian Single Malt barrels, then blended with 10-, 11-, and 14-year Kentucky bourbons. The base is a custom blend of 51% rye and 95% rye mashbills, creating a concentrated rye-and-malt core. The nose delivers baked cherry and herbal green tea. The palate is rich and viscous with layered complexity — caramel, vanilla, baking spice, and that signature compote-like cherry note. The finish is long, spicy, and oaky, with the malt character weaving through the mid-palate. A San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold winner. (00:24:31)

Danny pulls back the curtain on Bardstown's full portfolio — from the estate-distilled Origin Series to the art-of-blending Discovery Series, the innovative Collaborative Series, and a teased return of the Fusion Series using all-Bardstown liquid. He also shines a light on the custom distillation program that serves as the backbone of the facility, helping brands from concept to shelf with full transparency. Whether you're a longtime fan of Bardstown or discovering them for the first time, this episode is a masterclass in what modern American whiskey can look like when innovation, collaboration, and flavor lead the way.

Full Transcript

Bardstown Bourbon Company Amrut Indian Single Malt Danny Calloway Indian whiskey collaboration series rye whiskey Kentucky bourbon whiskey finishing single malt Bangalore whiskey bourbon blending discovery series origin series custom distillation San Francisco World Spirits Competition whiskey innovation bourbon podcast Indian malt whisky bourbon trail whiskey tasting

The Conversation