August 2023

Barrell Rye Batch 004

/ / Review, Rye Whiskey /

Barrell Rye Batch 004

57.85% ABV
$90
Website
Barrell Rye Batch 004
We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Blender Says

10-year-old Indiana Rye barrels with notes of brown sugar and a touch of smoke had 5 and 6-year-old barrels layered in for fruit and spice character. 14-year-old Canadian barrels were added for their dry herbal notes. The result is fruit-forward rye with layers of depth.

BLEND COMPONENTS:
Indiana: 5, 6, & 10 years old
Tennessee: 5 years old
Kentucky: 6 years old
Canadian: 14 years old

  • A blend of straight Rye Whiskeys
  • Bottled in Kentucky
  • 115.7 proof cask strength bottling

DERIVED MASH BILL:
Rye: 89%
Corn: 7%
Malted Barley: 4%

FLAVOR NOTES
This rye blend highlights rye’s earthier side, featuring notes of tobacco, leather, and mole poblano. Its stewed fruit and wilder savory character recall the syrahs of France’s Rhône valley: blackberry and tapenade on the nose followed by flavors of bresaola and black pepper.

Neat
Appearance: Copper penny with pumpkin highlights.
Nose: Blackberry, dried apricot and Concord grape lead off. The grape introduces woodsy tones of blonde tobacco, birch oil and dandelion root. Rye lends its familiar bouquet garni, lemon verbena, and peppermint aromatics. Meanwhile an unhurried maturation has produced cashew, tahini and nocino.
Palate: The first impression mirrors the nose but here grape soda is joined by a dark amber maple syrup. Burnt marshmallow leads into rich espresso and black licorice. There’s a deep umami presence of leather, black olive, and grilled onion. The oak here is strong and extractive yielding clove, coconut oil, and pine needle.
Finish: A burst of blanche armagnac and rosewater volatiles make way for the piquant heat of mole poblano and black pepper on the tongue. The lingering impression is of juniper, thyme, and wormwood.

With a splash of spring water

What Gary Says

Nose:  Fruity with blackberries, grapes, lemongrass, mint, mandarin orange and a hint of cedar.
Palate:  Thick mouthfeel chockful of fruit notes including grapes, apricots, orange and a hint of lemon, bit of maple syrup and cinnamon.
Finish:  Moderately long, drying with pepper and savory herbs.
Comments:  This is a lovely, savory and herbal rye – ideal in my mind for cocktails. I’m still jealous of the mad skills the folks who do their tasting notes possess, but just as impressed with the blending chops that BCS employs. This is a really nicely balanced whiskey, subtly sweet but more savory with herbal and spice notes. Not typical for a rye, but definitely has that rye-vibe going on, and is a must-try for true rye whiskey fans out there..

Rating: Must Try

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Barrell Bourbon Batch 035

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Barrell Bourbon Batch 035

58.75% ABV
$90
Website
Barrell Bourbon Batch 035
We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Blender Says

Barrell Bourbon Batch 035 is a blend of 6, 7, 8, and 13-year-old bourbons. A multi-mashbill blend of 6 and 7-year-old spicy and earthy, high-rye, high-proof, oak forward barrels was combined with a blend of 8-year-old softer, lower-proof barrels with concentrated notes of dark cherry and butterscotch. After mingling for two months, 13-year-old barrels with dominant fruit flavors were layered in. A portion of these barrels had more tropical fruit notes and the other portion showed more dried and candied fruit notes. The resulting bourbon is peppery and intriguing on the nose, and sweet and long on the finish.

BLEND COMPONENTS:
Indiana: 6, 7, & 8 years old
Tennessee: 7 & 13 years old
Kentucky: 8 years old

  • A blend of straight Bourbon Whiskeys
  • Bottled in Kentucky
  • 117.5 proof cask strength bottling

DERIVED MASH BILL:
Corn: 78%
Rye: 18%
Malted Barley: 4%

FLAVOR NOTES
Banana bread on the nose is complemented by a myriad of herbaceous aromas from the rye grain. An earthiness intensifies on the palate. Bold spice settles down to rich, sweet notes of chocolate milkshake and frosted cinnamon bun. Water completely transforms the whiskey into a punch bowl of fresh and tropical fruits.

​Neat
Appearance: Luminous amber.
Nose: Jammy and cooked fruits leap out first such as lemon curd, cherry, and banana bread. That well-spiced character of the banana bread continues as woodsy notes emerge, with birch beer leading into tiramisu. The rye in the mashbills is particularly bold, bringing olive and thyme. Once the nose settles down a bit it reveals deeper aromas of cocoa butter and molasses.
Palate: Mexican hot chocolate, cinnamon and dried chili peppers make a spicy first impression. There’s a freshness to it with grapefruit peel and absinthe. There’s also an intense earthiness of pinecone and baking chocolate. As you roll the sip around your mouth it grows much richer and creamier, developing into eggnog and tahini.
Finish: Lime zest and amaretto, and some grated coconut; rye spice takes over as slate, fennel, and cola notes linger.
With a splash of spring water
Still plenty of jammy fruit but they’re tropical now, displaying dried papaya and pineapple jelly. They’re joined by some fresh gooseberries and watermelon. Even the herbs and spices brighten, becoming rose, tobacco, and crystallized ginger. The palate is completely transformed: where there was once hardly any fruit at all is now a fruit salad of peaches, Mirabelle plums, cantaloupe, and blood orange segments.

What Gary Says

Nose: Rich with banana nut bread, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, caramel turtle brownie, apricots, cherry, oak, hints of coffee and savory herbs.
Palate: Spicy with cocoa, cinnamon, citrus and nutmeg.
Finish: Moderately long, drying with chili spice and citrus zip.
Comments: This has one of the most intriguing noses I’ve come across in a bourbon in some time! Lots of ‘baked goods’ vibes but also fruity and savory. The palate for me was interesting, although not as complex and nuanced. I definitely enjoy this one with some water, which really thickens up the mouthfeel and brightens up the flavor, bringing some ginger to the party while tamping the spicy edges. Given the spiciness on this one, I opted to try this in a Manhattan in place of rye whiskey, and really loved it!

Rating: Stands Out

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Old Hickory Hermitage Reserve Barrel Proof Whiskey

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

Old Hickory Hermitage Reserve Barrel Proof Whiskey

58.5% ABV
$55-60
Website
Old Hickory Hermitage Reserve Barrel Proof Whiskey
We would like to thank RS Lipman for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Intriguing aromas of vanilla bean, banana brioche, marmalade, and sweet corn brulee with an essence of sandalwood. Graceful on the palate featuring flavors of caramel corn, toffee, and orange zest with a hint of cocoa, all gently wrapped in warm, subtle notes of oak. The extended aging lengthens the taste profile and results in an incredibly smooth, approachable barrel-proof whiskey, matured in 18-year-old ex-bourbon barrels.

A quote from Robert Lipman, owner of RS Lipman:
“We are extremely proud of the recipe and mash bill we developed with our distiller partner using whiskey that was laid down back in 2008. Our goal was a barrel proof whiskey that is nicely balanced with color coming only from the ex-bourbon barrels. Sam used his expertise to bring this vision to life by creating a 117-proof whiskey that is mellow, easy to sip and natural in color. We could not be more pleased with the results.”

Aged 10 Years*
Mash Bill: 99% Corn 1% Malted Barley
Limited Release
*The bottle is age stated at 10 years old, which indicates the youngest whiskey included in the batch. Per their website, the majority of the whiskey is 13 years old.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich vanilla custard with banana, creamed corn and toasted oak.
Palate:  Caramel corn, honey, toffee, bit of orange zest and pepper.
Finish:  Moderately long with honey, corn and pepper spice.
Comments:  If they’d had asked me, I’d have suggested NOT using 18 year old bourbon barrels. 18 years is a long time, and while used bourbon barrels go off to give life to other whiskies, I think that they’ve given up a lot of their flavor over 18 years. This is interesting, but I’m just not a fan of really old corn whiskey. I bought a bottle of Heaven Hill Select Stock: 14 Yr Corn Whiskey several years back (paying $100) and thought that was a complete waste of money and time. Granted, this is just over half that price, and honestly tastes much better. If you’re a fan of corn whiskey, and have wondered what it might be like with more age than you typically see, this won’t break the bank (and is a unique offering in that respect). Corn just doesn’t take on a lot of complexity with age in my experience, or maybe it is the use of tired barrels.

Rating: Average/Stands Out

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Yellowstone 2023 Limited Edition

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Yellowstone 2023 Limited Edition
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Finished in Tokaji Casks

50.5% ABV
$100
Website
Yellowstone Limited Edition 2023 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
We would like to thank Limestone Branch and BYRNE PR for sending us samples to review.

What the Producer Says

Limestone Branch Distillery Master Distiller Steve Beam announced the 2023 release of Yellowstone Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. This latest bourbon – featuring a blend of 7-year, 13-year and 16-year aged bourbons finished in Tokaji casks – was bottled at 101 proof (50.5% ABV), with a limited allocation of 10,000 3-in cases offered nationwide at a suggested retail price of $99.99 per 750 ml bottle starting this August.
As he has done with his limited-edition Yellowstone Bourbon offerings since 2015, Beam hand selected the three aged bourbons, which were then blended and finished in Tokaji casks. Tokaji is a traditional sweet wine from the Tokaji region of Hungary made exclusively from white-wine grapes. Tokaji wines are known as much for their complex, layered flavor profiles as they are for their sweetness.
“With each year’s Yellowstone Limited Edition offering, I seek a finish that I both personally love and believe will make for a flavorful, well-balanced bourbon. This year, I found the perfect finish in the Tokaji casks sourced from northern Hungary,” said Beam. “Consumers can expect aromas of honey, green grapes and freshly baked cinnamon; a body highlighted by dry spice, followed by caramel, dark cherry, citrus and white pepper; and a finish containing notes of dry tobacco, honeysuckle and smoky oak. Fans of Yellowstone Limited Edition offerings will have a new contender for their favorite!”
The 2023 Yellowstone Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey features custom designed bottles with embossing, a high-end natural cork and label containing the 2023 Yellowstone Limited Edition emblem and a 101-proof callout.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Honey, green grapes and freshly baked cinnamon.
Palate: Dry spice followed by caramel, dark cherry, citrus and white pepper.
Finish: Dry tobacco, honeysuckle and smoky oak.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Caramel, honey, grapes, oak, cinnamon, citrus zest, vanilla and white wine.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel with caramel, black cherry, tangerines, peaches, cinnamon, nutmeg, bit of cocoa and pepper.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with caramel, fruit salad, oak and tobacco.
Comments: Another really fine example of finishing with a deft hand. This is the first whiskey I’ve had where Tokaji casks are listed on the label, and I’ve never had Tokaji wine – but this isn’t a big step from straight bourbon. Appreciate that Limestone Branch includes some older bourbon casks in these limited editions which bring some complexity and mouthfeel to the party. A bit of water thickens the mouthfeel further, and tamps the pepper spice edge while bringing the fruit forward – although this drinks perfectly well neat.

Rating: Stand Out

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Macaloney’s The Peat Project: European Moscatel Barrique

/ / Other Whisk(e)ys, Review / ,

Macaloney’s The Peat Project Series: Single Cask European Moscatel Barrique 
Canadian Island Peated (54 ppm) Single Malt Whisky

46% ABV
$? (maybe $135?)
Website
Macaloney's Peat Project Washington Peat and Portuguese Red Wine STR Cask
We would like to thank Macaloney’s Island Distillery for sending us a sample to review.

What the Distillery Says

Distillery smoked using Washington Peat and carefully crafted in a premium European Moscatel Barrique

This sweet white wine Euuropean oak barrique explores peat ‘terroir’ from Washington State (Canadian and Islay peat coming soon). The nose has medium peat smoke, bonfire, cigar, vanilla, white wine with apricot, lychee, melon, fresh ginger, coconut, sweet peas, roses, and honey. Juniper and pine forest yield to white chocolate, walnut, and peat smoke. The palate is velvety, with big peat, sweet burnt heather, seashort, malt extract, pineapple, sultanas, pears, figs, stewed apples, chocolate orange, and Key lime banana pie, with cloves, white pepper, liquorice, marzipan and hazelnut. The finish is dry with a hint of salt and lingering smoke.

Natural Colour & Non-Chill Filtered

What Gary Says

Nose:  Rich, exotic fruit notes, peat smoke, floral, honey, smoked meat with a hint of spices.
Palate:  Creamy mouthfeel, fruity with pears, apples, and tropical fruit (not quite pineapple), peat, chocolate, sea salt and cracked pepper.
Finish:  Moderately long and drying with peat smoke, salt and kiwi.
Comments:  This is really nice – and was my favorite of the 5-sample pack sent! Less of the peat and minerality than the others, and the nose on this is rather complex. With a bit of water, it thickens nicely and opens up. My only complaint is that there’s no mention of this on their website! My guess is word got out and they had limited inventory (while a ‘single cask’, I hope they didn’t just have ONE single cask, but who knows). I’m making the leap that the price would be in line with the others, which is still on the high end.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

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