Oaklore Distilling Old Fashioned Cask Finished Bourbon Review

Distillery: Oaklore Distilling — Matthews, North Carolina 

Proof: 98.0 (49.0% ABV)

Age: Six+ Years

Mashbill: 72% Corn, 11% Wheat, 10% Rye, 7% Malted Barley

MSRP: $90

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When an Old Fashioned Becomes a Bourbon Experiment

Oaklore Distilling Old Fashioned Cask Finished Bourbon enters with an idea that immediately stands apart from most secondary finished bourbons.  Countless whiskeys today experiment with secondary maturation, Oaklore appears less interested in simply adding flavor and more interested in creating an experience. This six-plus-year-old four-grain bourbon—sourced from North Carolina and Kentucky, then re-barreled and finished for an additional 12 to 18 months in barrels previously used to age the distillery’s Old Fashioned Cocktail Mixer—makes its intentions fairly clear before the first sip ever arrives.

At 98 proof, the whiskey does not present itself as a bold or aggressive pour. Instead, Oaklore seems intent on delivering something familiar to cocktail drinkers while still recognizable enough to remain whiskey. On paper, the concept makes sense. The mashbill of 72% corn, 11% wheat, 10% rye, and 7% malted barley should provide enough bourbon identity to support the finishing influence without allowing it to completely take over.

But concepts matter less than execution.

What makes Oaklore Old Fashioned Cask Finished Bourbon interesting is that it does not drink like a traditional bourbon with finishing layered on top. Instead, this feels far closer to a whiskey interpretation of an Old Fashioned itself. The challenge is that while it successfully captures parts of that experience, it never quite delivers the full picture.

Oaklore Distilling Old Fashioned Cask Finished Bourbon Review: Tasting Notes

Nose – 3.5/5

Baking spice.  Oak.  Spiced citrus.  Wheat grass.  Warm citrus cider.

Strengths:  Immediately establishes identity.  There is little mystery about what direction this whiskey wants to go.  Baking spice arrives first, followed by oak and a spiced citrus character that feels less like bright orange peel and more like a citrus interpretation of warm apple cider.  Carries full intensity and does not struggle to announce itself.

Why It’s Not Higher:  Feels more blurred than layered.  Notes tend to run together rather than unfolding in distinctness.  Does not particularly invite exploration.

Rating Justification:  Succeeds in establishing a clear identity and shows the whiskey’s Old Fashioned-inspired direction.  Lack of definition.  Limited development prevents it from becoming especially engaging.

Palate – 3.4/5

Baking spice.  Citrus cider.  Bitters influence.  Mild sharpness.

Strengths:  Confirms what the Nose promised.  Tangy citrus spice arrives first and reinforces the impression of a warm, cider-like Old Fashioned influence.  Baking spice continues through the sip.  Consistently stays committed to its intended profile.  Knows what experience it wants to create and does not drift away from it.

Why It’s Not Higher:  Never significantly deepens beyond its opening impression.  Traditional bourbon character largely stays in the background while the Old Fashioned influence grows stronger.  Rather than feeling integrated into the bourbon, the finishing influence feels like it is resting on top of the whiskey. More importantly, the experience feels like it captures only part of an Old Fashioned profile.  Citrus and spice notes are present, but the sweeter contrast (particularly a darker cherry influence) never shows up.

Rating Justification:  Distinctive and recognizable.  Feels more linear than layered.  The concept works enough to remain interesting, though not enough to feel fully realized.

Finish – 3.2/5

Lingering spice.  Oak.  Citrus bitterness.

Strengths:  Medium length.  Maintains enough spice presence to avoid disappearing too quickly.  Remains consistent.

Why It’s Not Higher:  As the spice fades, a citrus sourness appears and creates more pause than satisfaction.  Sweeter balancing influence never arrives and reinforces the feeling that something is missing.

Rating Justification:  Memorable enough to stand apart, but it ultimately lands more as an interesting idea than a fully satisfying conclusion.

Value – 2.9/5

At $90, Oaklore Old Fashioned Cask Finished Bourbon enters premium territory which naturally raises expectations.  The whiskey deserves credit for attempting something genuinely different and largely succeeding in creating a recognizable Old Fashioned-inspired experience.  But the whiskey feels closer to a strong curiosity than a fully complete pour.

Interestingly, the whiskey improved with experimentation.  A rock softened some of the sharper edges and brought slightly better integration to the pour.  More notably, adding a small amount of cherry influence helped the whiskey feel closer to the complete Old Fashioned experience it seemed to be reaching for all along.

For enthusiasts who enjoy unusual finishes, that experimentation may actually become part of the appeal.

Oaklore Distilling Old Fashioned Cask Finished Bourbon Review: The Verdict

Oaklore Old Fashioned Cask Finished Bourbon deserves credit for ambition.  This is not simply a bourbon with finishing applied for novelty.  It genuinely feels like a whiskey interpretation of an Old Fashioned, and in many ways, it succeeds at delivering that idea.

The challenge is that it never fully completes the picture.

The whiskey effectively captures the citrus spice, bitters-adjacent warmth, and cocktail influence associated with an Old Fashioned, but stops short of the sweeter contrast that often helps the drink feel complete.  As a result, the pour feels interesting and clearly intentional, though somewhat unfinished in execution.

Just do not be afraid to experiment with the pour yourself.

Verdict – 3.3/5

We score each bourbon based on nose, palate, finish, and value.

Scoring System:

• Platinum – 4.5 – 5
• Gold – 4 – 4.5
• Silver – 3 – 4
• Bronze – <3