A 90-year-old recipe, resurrected. The second release in Barrel Global's Lost Mashbill Series — distilled at the legendary Castle & Key Distillery on restored historic equipment.
The Partnership
A Lost Recipe,
Reborn for America's 250th.
To mark 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Barrel Global has selected the legendary Castle & Key Distillery to do something one of a kind: resurrect a post-Prohibition-style bourbon from a historical mashbill.
This is the Lost Mashbill Project — the second release in Barrel Global's Lost Mashbill series — a strictly limited batch of bourbon crafted to replicate the style and flavour profile of an American spirit produced nearly a century ago. Distilled under contract at Castle & Key, every barrel is available exclusively to clients of Barrel Global.
Each barrel is especially stencilled to mark 250 years of the United States of America. This is more than a purchase — it's the chance to own a piece of living history.
Finding the Lost Mashbill
A handwritten scribble.
A lost flavour, unlocked.
The recipe image is for reference purposes only.
To create bourbon in a post-Prohibition era style, the project draws inspiration from historical documents and bourbon production practices of the early twentieth century. The recipe was uncovered by Murray David Harwich III, a sixth-generation descendant of the family that founded the former Old Taylor Distillery in 1887. The historic site has since been restored and is now operated by Castle & Key Distillery. Murray made the discovery while searching the archives of his family’s estate. Murray David Harwich III, Leader of Experience at Barrel Global, said: “It’s been incredibly exciting, and personally fulfilling, to bring this lost history back to life with Barrel Global. They have been great stewards of early Bourbon history, committed to making high quality bourbon, while preserving the story and the heritage that brought us here.
“Researching early bourbon history has felt a little like treasure hunting, because I was aware that I could uncover something that hadn’t been looked upon or used in decades, but which could allow me to carry forward that work. “When I found the mashbill recipe, it wasn’t immediately apparent that I’d struck gold, because it appears like a casual, handwritten scribble. For the uninitiated, it might be mistaken for a shopping list or some cryptic notes. To a distiller, it’s the instructions to unlock a lost mashbill and a flavour profile that hasn’t been explored in nearly a century.”
Murray David Harwich III
Leader of Experience, Barrel Global
Distillery Facts
Reviving the
Lost Mashbill
Distilled on Historic Equipment
When the Old Taylor Distillery shut down, its 1936 production equipment sat untouched on-site for 44 years. Castle & Key bought the property in 2014 and carefully restored and recalibrated much of that original machinery, including the grain milling and fermentation equipment. The Lost Mashbill Project bourbon is made using much of this same original equipment, and any new additions were designed to stay true to historic bourbon production methods.
Limestone Water, the "Key" to Great Bourbon
Castle & Key’s unique key-shaped springhouse symbolizes the importance of limestone-filtered water, which elevates the final spirit into a superior whiskey. The rich mineral composition is believed to be the key to fine bourbon. This is the water that will be used in our production.
Heirloom Grains, Sourced with Integrity
Castle & Key sources its grains from American farms, favouring heirloom varieties and quality over yield — honouring the values of great american bourbon instilled in every step of the process.
Crafting for the Future
In 2025, Castle & Key completed Phase 1 of the largest solar project at any distillery in Woodford County, Kentucky — 754 panels across nearly 21,000 square feet — part of a 30-year master sustainability plan.
CASTLE & KEY ACCOLADES & AWARDS
Recognised by the world's
most discerning critics.
Most Recent · 2025–2026
Earlier Honours
The Offering
A once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity.
Barrel Global is proud to offer a strictly limited batch of new-fill barrels from the Lost Mashbill Project — a heritage bourbon crafted from a rediscovered historical recipe.
Each barrel is stencilled to commemorate 250 years of the United States of America. Demand is expected to be high.
Barrels finish filling in September 2026.
LIMITED
ONLY 60 AVAILABLE
- Mash Bill
Corn 70%·
Rye 18%·
Malted Barley 12%- Entry Barrel Proof
- 112
- Grains
- Heirloom, from a walnut grove
- Cooperage
- Kelvin Cooperage — air-dried, naturally-seasoned
- Distillery
- Castle & Key · Frankfort, Kentucky
- Commemorative
- Stencilled — 250 years of the USA