Watershed Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch 002
Finished in Apple Brandy Casks
60.4% ABV
$90
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We would like to thank Watershed Distillery for sending us a sample to review.
What the Distillery Says
Watershed Distillery announces its most mature spirit to date—a highly limited barrel strength bourbon—will be released on Saturday, September 18, 2021 at the distillery with limited allocation in Ohio retail agencies and select markets across the U.S. to follow. The highly anticipated 2021 Watershed Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch 002 follows the release of Batch 001 in September 2020 for the distillery’s 10-year anniversary, which sold out in under three hours.
Created from some of the last remaining barrels of Watershed Distillery’s original five grain mash bill of corn, wheat, rye, barley, and spelt—an ancient grain grown primarily in Ohio and
nod to the distillery’s craft roots—Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch 002 was created from copper pot-distilled bourbon aged four years in virgin char #4 White Oak barrels and finished for 34-45
months in Watershed’s own Ohio apple brandy casks. Bottled without chill filtration at 120.8 proof, this rare and complex spirit was created from barrels 100% distilled, aged, and bottled
on-site, and represents the oldest bourbon ever released by Watershed Distillery.
“When selecting the barrels for this batch of our Barrel Strength Bourbon, our Barrel Master Anne Dimmick and I set out to highlight the true depth and complexity of the bourbon we make
at Watershed Distillery,” shares Head Distiller Aaron Harris. “We are always looking for that ‘magic’ in a barrel—a rich and bold bourbon with balanced sweetness that truly stands apart from the rest, and we think Batch 002 captures that perfectly.”
Watershed is releasing just 3,060 bottles of this highly anticipated limited offering to seven markets—Ohio, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, New York and Michigan. Suggested retail
price is $89.99. Tasting notes for Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch 002 are as follows:
Appearance: Deep Amber
Aroma: Dark brown sugar caramel, roasted oak and rich vanilla
Flavor: The palate brings with it a full-bodied rich viscosity, with complex notes of fig, peripheral spice, and a touch of black cherry and toasted nuttiness
Finish: Robust and balanced with lingering complexity
Age: 6-8 years
What Gary Says
Nose: Caramel covered apples, vanilla, oak, bit of molasses, note of cedar and fall leaves.
Palate: Spicy with vanilla, caramel, cinnamon, pepper, black cherries, oak and pecan.
Finish: Short to moderate in length, drying with pepper spice and cherry notes.
Comments: This is the first whiskey from Watershed Distillery that I’ve had the pleasure to try. I love that they’re releasing this at barrel strength and non-chill filtered (AND with some age on it!) This was a bit hot and sharp (120 proof isn’t anything to sneeze at), but took water well which softened the edges and brought out some notes of apple pie. The apple brandy cask finish is fairly subtle, which given the finishing time I was surprised by (although appreciated, since I don’t care for heavy-handed finishes). It does really shine with some water, without distracting from the core 5 grain bourbon.