A plume of smoke rises from the Sazerac-owned Barton 1792 Distillery as a signal of hope at the end of 2020. The news is of a new line of premium bourbons called Thomas S. Moore that’ll be finished in a variety of select casks from around the world.

Starting this month, we’ll (hopefully) see three expressions on store shelves: a Port Finish, a Chardonnay Finish, and a Cabernet Sauvignon Finish. Each will retail for a suggested price of $69.99, and we can expect other experimental finishes each fall.

According to the news release, Thomas S. Moore built the distillery now known as Barton 1792 in Bardstown, Ky. He was an early pioneer in Bardstown, and leading up to Prohibition, he established a whiskey empire, growing his humble operation into a powerhouse distillery, filling hundreds of barrels of whiskey every day.

The bourbon going into the Thomas S. Moore products will be the distillery’s signature high rye recipe.

If you’re a 1792 fan like me, then your lips quiver at the fond memories of long-retired 1792 Port Finish bottle. Well, on recent trips to the distillery, I’ve spotted the massive port barrels in the rick houses, and I’ve kept my mouth firmly sealed in anticipation that one day another port finish would rise from the ashes.

This explains it all!

For those interested, the Thomas S. Moore Finished in Port Casks will be 98.9 proof; the one finished in Chardonnay Casks will be 97.9 proof; and the one finished in Cabernet Sauvignon Casks will be 95.3 proof.

Now I gotta make more room on my shelves!