Blue Note Bourbon was initially launched in mid-July 2018 by B.R. Distilling Company in Memphis, Tennessee. As an Owensboro resident, Blue Note has held a special place in my appreciation of my city’s whiskey story.
During the early days of whiskey distilling’s revival in Owensboro, O.Z. Tyler was giving consumers very young bourbon that had been rapidly aged through the infamous TerrePure process. Before O.Z. Tyler transitioned to Green River Distilling, and before Green River began offering traditionally aged bourbon with a respectable period of maturation under the Green River name, Blue Note was already giving consumers traditionally aged bourbon distilled in Owensboro.
For me, that made Blue Note one of the earliest opportunities to see what Owensboro-distilled bourbon could offer without the influence of the TerrePure process. Years later, Blue Note continues to experiment with bourbon distilled in Owensboro, with its latest release taking that work in an unusual direction.
In August 2026, B.R. Distilling released Blue Note Cherry Wood Cask Bourbon. The Owensboro-distilled bourbon starts with a mashbill of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley. A total of 27 barrels of bourbon, aged between five and six years, were blended and transferred into 22 cherry wood barrels. Those barrels received either heavy or medium toasting before the bourbon spent just over four additional months in the cherry wood.
The cherry wood barrels were filled in early spring and dumped during the summer. They were made from sustainably harvested wild cherry wood sourced from the Jura region of eastern France.
The casks came from Prunus avium L., known as “merisier” in French. The French National Forest Office, or ONF, identifies merisier specifically as Prunus avium, the wild ancestor of cultivated sweet cherries.
Wild cherry fruit has a long history of use in spirits, including kirsch and cherry brandy. Prunus avium is also highly prized for furniture and woodworking, making its use in bourbon maturation an interesting extension of the wood’s long history.
There is also an interesting chemical connection. Sakuranin is the most abundant volatile compound identified in wild cherry extract, adding another point of reference when considering the 2026 “Sakura cask” bourbon releases from Starlight and Pursuit Spirits, which have been marketed around Japanese cherry trees.
So, what do France’s wild cherry trees do for bourbon?
Blue Note Cherry Wood Cask Bourbon Review
The nose opens with cranberry juice, bringing a combination of sweetness and tartness, followed almost immediately by toasted almonds. As the initial aromas recede, Swedish Fish candy enters the picture, with artificial raspberry and cherry joined by a touch of citrus. Graham cracker ties the aromas together, adding a baked sweetness to the fruit. The nose is decidedly sweet, with an emphasis on dark red fruit that should appeal to bourbon drinkers who favor this particular profile.
The palate follows suit, with amaretto leading the way alongside sweet apricot jam. The opening is dominated by fruit and sweetness, but ginger and white pepper bring a spicy turn through the mid-palate. Despite the change in flavor, the mouthfeel remains notably oily.
The finish is where the bourbon takes an unexpected turn. A touch of tannic plum skin appears first, soon giving way to more red fruit in the form of Cheerwine. That sweetness then gives way to grape seeds, bringing the tannins needed to offset the fruit. The trouble is that the grape seed bitterness pushes a little too far, leaving more bitterness than I would prefer at the end of a sip.
This is an intriguing bourbon built around sweet, dark red fruit, with cranberry, cherry, and raspberry setting the tone from nose to palate. The finish, however, tells a different story, ending on a pronounced bitter note that detracts from an otherwise enjoyable tasting experience.
119.4 proof.
B+ / $65
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