(Credit: Randall H. Borkus)
By Randall H. Borkus
Rating: A+
May 2026 saw Preservation Distillery host a release party for what was only the second installment for Very Olde St. Nick Immaculata, after a wait of four years. The festivities were hosted by Master of Maturation Kyle Lloyd and the Preservation team, where Lloyd spoke to the gathered crowd the background behind this second release.
The 2026 Very Olde St. Nick Immaculata starts with select casks of Preservation’s own 8 years, 6 months old Pot Distilled Wheated Bourbon. Next, they layer in a 10 year old Kentucky high rye bourbon, distilled for Preservation under contract, and blend that together with a sourced 19 year old Kentucky bourbon. The Immaculata blend is cask strength, unfiltered and bottled at 118.2 proof.
Lloyd explained that over 300 casks were evaluated for taste, aroma, and color, each one systematically narrowed down through a measured progression until only a limited few remained to shape into 3-barrel micro batches. “We used the 8 Year 6 Month old Pot Distilled to create a maximum viscosity influence, then layered in the 10 year old Kentucky high rye to give the mid-palate a solid influence of flavors and blended in the final seasoning with the 19 year old Kentucky bourbon to turn up the intensity of sweet oak and rich flavor notes.”
I attended the distillery unveiling, and we started with a ½ ounce pour of the 2022 Very Olde St. Nick Immaculata before deconstructing the elements, described above. The 2022 Very Olde St. Nick Immaculata was exactly what I expected – simply elegant and a great reminder of wonderful things from the near past. The 8 1/2 year old old Pot Distilled Wheated Bourbon left a memorable mouthfeel with its signature viscosity. The 10 year old Kentucky high rye bourbon was rich, with complex flavors and spice. The 19 year old Kentucky bourbon showed up as a genuine Berserker or a Rendheart. Full on sweet oak, dry, more sweet oak, with a finish that would last on and on through the battle of time in a barrel. Then we concluded with the 2026 Very Olde St. Nick Immaculata itself.
The Bourbon
The 2026 Very Olde St. Nick Immaculata that I splashed in my Glencairn had a deep bronze-amber color. The nose opened with sweet oak and butterscotch, leading to hints of Caramel and dried grapes.
The front palate experience was warm, juicy and viscus, reminding me of some older oily scotch mouthfeels I have stumbled upon. That was before it continued to blossom with caramel-vanilla pudding, hard-cherried candy and intense molasse. The mid-palate is loaded with a candied plum—reminding me a bit of the Ukrainian Ligos plum candy—wow! The finish was long, mouthwatering and juicy, with hints of soft oak and butterscotch nestled in fresh moss filled terrain.
This is really a special bottle, one to share with those you love!
Lloyd told me that Preservation has “prepared four batches of the 2026 Very Olde St. Nick Immaculata” so visit the distillery before they are gone.
The Price
The bottle retails for $260 at the distillery and will be available in the marketplace throughout the year.
