A. Smith Bowman Distillery has announced an addition to its permanent line of spirits: Isaac Bowman Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels.

This follows accolades in 2016, when the limited-edition Abraham Bowman Port Finished Bourbon was named World’s Best Bourbon by Whisky Magazine. Following consumer demand for that product, the company has put out this new release.

The whiskey is made in the same process as the 2016 winner. A. Smith Bowman Distillery finished its bourbon in a variety of port barrels from across Virginia and from Portugal, for between three-to-six months, depending on flavor, before marrying them together. These barrels were made using American Oak and French Limousin Oak, with some barrels originating from Minnesota, Kentucky, Missouri, Virginia and others. 

“The nose greets you with our characteristic cherry and baked apple but supplemented with jammy fruit notes and balanced with the enticing aroma of vanilla, brown spice, and toasted pecans,” says Master Distiller Brian Prewit. He describes the flavor as “bold and sweet with the toasty notes of French and American oak rounding out to a long smooth finish that pleasantly lingers on the palate.”

A portion of each batch will be held back for blending with the next batch to ensure consistency in flavor and color going forward.

This port barrel finished bourbon is named after Captain Isaac Bowman, the youngest of the Bowman Brothers, who was a soldier and Virginia militia officer in the American Revolutionary War. Isaac was at one point taken as a prisoner of war, but was able to make an escape. He then settled down at Fort Bowman Estate where he became a prosperous farmer and landowner. 

The suggested retail price for Isaac Bowman Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Barrels is $39.99 per 750-ml. bottle. It will launch initially in Virginia only, but eventually spreading into North Carolina and a few additional markets.