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Barton 1792 out of Bardstown, KY is part of the Sazerac family of businesses which also includes Buffalo Trace. 1792 is their current flagship brand which also comes in Full Proof, Cask Finish, and Sweet wheat iterations. Full Proof has been almost impossible to find since Jim Murray named it his 2020 World Whiskey of the year, but I have started to see it somewhat regularly and demand seems to have fallen enough that big players like Costco are able to get in on the action, moving some single barrels at lower than SRP. Costco has a very strong relationship with Barton as the latter bottles the white label Kirkland Small Batch, Bottled-in-Bond, and very elusive Single Barrel. As opposed to store picks, a single barrel program of this magnitude likely required Costco to rely on the distiller to pick the barrels against a target profile, potentially sending a tasting team to workshop that target and then letting Barton replicate to similar casks in their barrel management system.
🛒Sourced: $44.99 at Costco Perimeter, GA - 750ml. SRP is around $50 for the regular Full Proof, though Costco has its picks for as little as $39.99 in low tax states.
🧪Proof: 125 proof, 62.5% ABV - Right at entry proof. Note that "full proof" does not mean that no water has been added and is not a regulated term. It is a single barrel, so I'd wager it was slightly above 125 and down-proofed to expectation.
🎨Color: R6 - a deep dark russet red or uncut ruby
🥔Mash Bill & Production: Allegedly 74% corn, 18% Rye, and 8% malted barley - Note that this is conjecture and is not disclosed by Barton. It is on the lower end of what you could consider a "high rye" bourbon. This is from barrel #1848 which is noted on a lovely little "Barrel Select" sticker on the front.
- Age - No Age statement - We know it's at least four years and I'd wager it's probably around 6-7.
- Barrel Entry Proof - 125
- Char - #3.5 barrel char
- Batch Size - Could be anything, small batch is not a regulated term. Supposedly all 1792 iterations are made from select barrels that meet quality standards above those required for the VOB lines.
- Chill Filtered: Yes
👃Nose: High alcohol astringency, very proofy and abrasive. Let this one sit for a few minutes before shoving the 'ole sniffer in there. Creeping up on it at a distance, I get a nice toffee, old wood, and stone fruit. There are definitely some pleasing layers here, but it takes some work to cut through the fumes.
😜Palate: Drinks way less hot than the nose would suggest. I think it's very true to the standard batched 1792 profile just with more heft. There is a mild sweetness that sits well with the relative thickness on the tongue, caramel and saltwater toffee. Plum, black cherry, and a little bit of licorice.
💦Finish: Pretty dynamic finish, it revisits the palate in order before diminishing; I'm not sure I've had that clear of a progression in the finish before. Flavor finish is medium length with a longer warming glow.
🏆 Overall: 7.75/10 - Great - From the nose alone I was worried, but both the palate and finish are quite dynamic, delivering everything I loved about the flagship just more. Don't get me wrong, 1792 Full Proof Bourbon is still well within the "hot" domain but non-finished bourbons at this proof seldom are truly easy drinking. Close your eyes, open your mouth, and you'll be able to clearly pick out both wood and mash influence in distinct waves. Add an ice cube and my favorite sip is the fourth, too much melt definitely takes the air out of this one's sails.
1/ 2 Bottle Update - Still great. A little bit of headspace exchange has mellowed some of the heat and I find it follows a "warm-up" pour at a lower proof really well. The Plum / Black Cherry / Blackberry notes are dynamite.
🧊On Ice: This is a pretty interesting pour when given the patient machinations of the 'cube. I get much more of a baked goods aspect, some oatmeal cookie, and cinnamon. It shifts subtly with dilution.
💵Would buy again? Sure, I do need to get the batched full proof in the rotation at some point though.
🙈Blind Tastings:
- 7/10/26 - 1792 Full Proof Select (This Bottle) > Green River Full Proof > Russell's Reserve Single Barrel
- 2/18/26 - 1792 Full Proof Select (This bottle) > Wolcott Rickhouse Reserve, the increased fruit profile and perhaps a tad more age versus a bottle made by the same distillery under Total Wine's label makes the 1792 iteration more interesting and drinkable even at a higher proof. Paying more for Costco's pick of the real thing is a no brainer.
- 6/14/26 - 1792 Full Proof Select (This bottle) > Bardstown High Wheat > Russel's Reserve Single Barrel
- 7/26/26 - 1792 Full Proof Select (This bottle) > Green River Full Proof > Bardstown High Wheat - major caveats with this one as I think for many people the Bardstown will blow it out of the water due to the nuance as discussed.
⚖️Rating Scale:
2 | Poor | I wouldn’t consume it by choice.
3 | Bad | Multiple flaws | Struggle to get through the bottle
4 | Serviceable | Mixing or ice recommended.
5 | Good | Drinkable Neat | An agreeable dram indeed.
6 | Very Good | Any flaws offset by interesting flavors | A cut above.
7 | Great | You find yourself reaching for this one often | Well above average.
8 | Excellent | Serve to Impress Guests | Really quite exceptional.
9 | Incredible | An all time favorite | You guard this bottle jealously