Barrell Rye Batch 004 Review

By Randall H. Borkus

Rating: C+

Barrell Craft Spirits recently announced the release of some cask finished whiskeys and their 10th Anniversary Barrell Bourbon, but I’m still working with Barrell Rye Batch 004! This is their first rye batch since 2020.

Rye Batch #004 blend consists of straight rye whiskeys from Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Canada. The Indiana rye barrels were 5, 6, and 10 years old, blended with Tennessee rye that was 5 years old, Kentucky rye that was 6 years old and 14 year old Canadian rye barrels. The aggregated mash bill consists of 89% rye, 7% corn and 4% malted barley. The expression is bottled at a cask strength of 115.7 proof, and aged stated as 5 years and 6 months old. There were a total of 12,555 bottles.

The Whiskey
The Rye Batch #004 whiskey is an intense copper brown color in my Glencairn. The nose seems a bit non-descript at first and I really needed to work for it to get to the Canadian lush sweetness of lemongrass with a slight hint citrus fragrance.

The front palate is warm, spicy, grassy, minty with a sour white grape razzle moving to my mid-palate.  Once on my mid-palate, there is a distinct presence of fresh leather, fruit, pine needles and a citrus oaky medley that is tough to completely describe as anything unique.  The finish has a spurt of pine and earth essence, more lemongrass, spices and a lingering dint of sage, lavender, wrapped in spicy dry oak dusting.

This rye whiskey is nice with definitive Canadian rye characteristics that remind me of so many other Canadian rye whiskies I have imbibed. But overall, although it’s on okay whiskey, I am not so excited about this expression.

The Price
The retail price is $89.99.