A delicious high-rye Bourbon finished in French Armagnac casks for a uniquely rich, five year-old dram.

Pia Carusone and Rachel Gardner had a dream of starting a distillery. In 2015 — after being turned-away by conventional bank financing — they did what any founder in the internet age would do. They launched a crowd-funding campaign online and raised $120,000. Now they are the owners of Republic Restoratives in Washington DC where this woman-owned establishment distills and serves fine Spirits. Like many distilling startups, they are using house distillates in their clear Spirits brands and sourcing aged Whiskeys while their own stuff continues to age.

Borough Bourbon is an interesting combination of sourcing and in-house craft. Each batch in this limited release begins with sourced Spirits that are finished in exotic casks in house. For Borough Bourbon Batch 3 they took five year-old high-rye Kentucky Bourbon and finished it in casks that previously held ancient, fifty year-old French Armagnac. The combination is not a common one and emphasizes the rye spices with an undertone of leather and honey. The 44% ABV helps keep it lively in the mouth.