I’ve read and heard many glowing
reviews of Barrell Bourbon, but for some reason I was resisting the temptation
to jump aboard. Maybe it was because I
had felt burned by a few other merchant bottlers. Or maybe it was because the $90.00 price tag
for eight year old Bourbon distilled in Tennessee didn’t make sense to me when
I could get Elijah Craig 12-year Barrel Proof and all kinds of Four Roses
private selection Single Barrel options at barrel strength, both of which have
known provenance and a proven track record.
Still, I was curious, and all it took was seeing a sale price at Kroger. Now that Batch 007 and private selections
have landed, it’s time for a review.
Bourbon:
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Barrell Bourbon Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Bottle 4076 of 5460.
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Distillery:
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Unknown, but distilled in Tennessee
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Mash bill:
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70% corn; 26% rye; 4% malted barley
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Age:
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8 years, 6 months
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ABV:
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61.45% (122.9 proof)
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Cost:
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$76.99 (sale price)
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Tasting Notes
Appearance:
Rich caramel amber with a hint of orange.
Nose:
Enticing aromas of brown sugar, warm caramel, and a nutty,
sugary desert. I was pleasantly surprised.
Taste:
There’s some fire initially, but it is tamed down with some
air, and you’re left with complexity beyond what I expected, especially with a
splash of water. It’s buttery with a
nice transition from vanilla and caramel sweetness to cinnamon, baking spice,
pepper, and big charred oak. Other than
a slightly distracting green wood flavor, I really enjoyed it.
Finish:
Long, not from a high-proof burn, but from a wonderful, warm
swell of corn and brown sugar sweetness, lingering cinnamon red hots, and plenty
more oak. This finish is the real deal.
Bottom Line
Limited releases and distinct batches are tough to
predict. I’ve been wrong about some that
I made herculean efforts to find, and I’ve passed over others, only later
learning that I had missed out on a remarkable Bourbon. Barrell Bourbon was one of those
that I shouldn’t have waited so long to try.
Score on The
Sipp’n Corn Scale: 3.0
The Sipp’n Corn Scale:
1 – Swill. I might dump the bottle, but will probably
save it for my guests who mix with Coke.
2 – Hits the
minimum criteria, but given a choice, I’d rather have something else.
3 – Solid Bourbon
with only minor shortcomings. Glad to
own and enjoy.
4 – Excellent
Bourbon. Need to be hyper-critical to
find flaws. I’m lucky to have this.
5 – Bourbon
perfection. I’ll search high and low to
get another bottle of this.
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ReplyDeleteThis rhetoric bourbon has barley, rye and corn. So, will it be true if someone says they’re going on a “healthy diet” whilst ignoring the echo of “alcohol consumption”?
ReplyDelete