Barrell Bourbon Batch 032
57.67% ABV
$90
Website
We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.
What the Blender Says
Batch 032 began with a balance of two sets of barrels: a selection of 5 and 6-year-old barrels with a creamy and tropical profile and a selection of 6, 7 and 10-year-old barrels vatted for their complex, old, woody character. These two sets of barrels were slowly blended over three months. A small group of spice driven 7-year-old barrels with notes of cinnamon toast, coffee bean and chocolate were then carefully added to complete the blend. The result is a decadent and rich bourbon with layers of spice and nuttiness.
- A blend of straight Bourbon Whiskeys
- Distilled and aged in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana
- Selection of 5, 6, 7, and 10-year-old barrels
- Aged in American white oak barrels
- Bottled in Kentucky
- 115.34 proof cask strength bottling
FLAVOR NOTES
Focused squarely on fresh oak and grassy spirit, the aroma calls to mind chopping wood in the yard on a late summer’s morning. The palate is a similarly simple pleasure until a splash of water opens it up to reveal a massively textured whiskey: rich, and oily, it’s a trait that’s often described as “Kentucky chew.”
Neat
Appearance: Tawny.
Nose: A wildflower meadow showing dandelion, nasturtium, and fennel. The floral qualities are intense and concentrated. Late summer fruits round out the profile, among them Rainier cherry, watermelon, and crushed apple. It all integrates seamlessly with aromas of fresh oak, cedar, and applewood, with just a hint of char. The overall impression is that of splitting wood out in the yard when the trees are laden with fruit and the flowers haven’t yet begun to fade.
Palate: Cinnamon rolls arrive with rich, buttery brioche dough, gooey caramel, and a spicy kick of cinnamon. The spice quickly expands to include wasabi and ginger. It’s underpinned by a savory undertone of boiled peanuts, and French butter.
Finish: Quite crisp, with an initial burst of sea spray and lemonade. These fade to reveal lingering notes of raspberry eau-de-vie and pastis.
With a few drops of spring water
Dilution wedges the concentrated floral notes further apart to reveal a whole new level of complexity. Lavender, lemon verbena, and pawpaw fill out the meadow. The palate transforms, with sugars and oils combining with fine tannin, light astringency, and spicy black peppercorn to create a massive, chewy mouthfeel. The finish, meanwhile, is like walking into an old spice shop with the commingled flavors of bitter orange peel, fennel-seed, and turmeric.
What Gary Says
Nose: Caramel, worn book leather, chocolate, cherries, fresh pancakes with brown sugar and melted butter, soft oak and cedar.
Palate: Thick and viscous mouthfeel, caramel drizzled pancakes, cinnamon, nutty with a hint of clove.
Finish: Moderately long, drying with chocolate, honey, cloves and pepper.
Comments: Another really great blend from the folks at Barrell Craft Spirits. I’ve yet to try one I didn’t like. Intense, complex, beautifully balanced and completely delicious! This thickens up nicely with some water, while maintaining the robust flavors. We usually see complexity with age, but this for me was every bit as complex as some of the prior releases that contained 15 and 16 year old barrels – which is a tribute to the craft of finding barrels that complement each other well.