The Whiskey Reviewer A World of Whiskey, Poured Every Weekday
By Richard Thomas
Rating: B+
One pretty consistent pleasure of writing The Whiskey Reviewer is sitting down with the latest offerings from Barrell Craft Spirits. Batch 24 was based primarily on high rye bourbon stocks in consignments aged 9, 10 and 13 years old; this was rounded out with a 15 year old high rye bourbon of different sourcing. At least three different sources were used, drawn from Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee. The resulting cask strength blend of straight bourbons came out, unfiltered, at 113.9 proof.
The Whiskey
Although this mid-ambered bourbon wasn’t the full-bodied whiskey one usually expects from middle aged Barrell Bourbons, often either ballsy or rich, it had its own particular set charms. Batch 024 really allowed the high rye composition to sing, but retained an inviting balance.
The nose built sweet cinnamon and cardamon upon a base of sweet corn and caramel. The evolved into brown sugar and caramel, accented with dark chocolate and an ample dose of cake spices. A little pipe tobacco comes on the back end, but terminates quickly and doesn’t roll into the finish. Instead, that had a non-distinct citrusy quality speared on a sliver of oak, that lingering on the tongue long after I found myself wanting to take another sip.
The Price
Retailers are generally offering this one for $90 a bottle.
This is Bourbon alchemy at its darkest…and that’s criminally good!