Bourbon

Barrell Bourbon Batch 036

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Barrell Bourbon Batch 036

57.2% ABV
$90
Website
Barrell Bourbon Batch 036 Whiskey
We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Blender Says

A multi-mashbill blend was created by combining full-bodied barrels with black cherry notes and oak-forward barrels with a nutty flavor profile. After these mingled, younger barrels with stone fruit and peppery highlights were added to the blend. Lastly, older barrels with notes of milk chocolate, cinnamon and pecans were carefully layered in. The result is an elegant bourbon that is opulent on the finish.

BLEND COMPONENTS:
Indiana: 7.5, 8, & 10 years old
Kentucky: 9 years old
Tennessee: 8 & 15 years old

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

DERIVED MASH BILL:
Corn: 79%
Rye: 16%
Malted Barley: 5%

FLAVOR NOTES
A satisfying nose of honey, fresh citrus, cherry jam, and snickerdoodles fuse with deeper notes of Kuromitsu and cinchona bark. Notes of caramel, chocolate and pecan pie warm up the palate before citrus zest and cherry cordial coalesce with a wave of pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon.

​Neat
Appearance: Tawny.
Nose: The aroma starts with honey, lime, tangerine, and apricot, then evolves into cherry jam, Marcona almonds and buttermilk pancakes. Notes of Snickerdoodle cookies, Kuromitsu, chocolate mint, and a touch of cinchona bark emerge followed by subtle notes of fresh citrus.
Palate: The palate starts out rich with notes of caramel, cherry cola, pecan pie and chocolate torte, followed by citrus zest and cherry cordial. Hints of pepper and cardamom flicker throughout the mid and back palate followed by a dusting of cacao, Saigon cinnamon and oranges.
Finish: Cinnamon, white pepper, citrus zest, and cherry.
With a splash of spring water
The aroma expands to Hufsie spiced tea loaf, mead, brown butter cookies, and cinnamon doughnuts. The palate becomes more decadent with notes of salted caramel latte, baklava, and streusel. The finish coats your mouth with notes of cinnamon orange coffee cake and a touch of oak.

What Gary Says

Nose: Baked goods, caramel, cinnamon, mixed raw nuts, cherry, and a hint of cocoa and oak.
Palate: Thick mouthfeel with honey, caramel, toffee, milk chocolate, cherries with cinnamon, and an orange zest zip.
Finish: Long and thick with cherry cola, cinnamon, and honey.
Comments: I continue to be amazed at how both major distilleries and blending houses achieve consistency over large periods with innumerable variables. That said, I’ve got mad admiration for what the folks at Barrell Craft Spirits do working with some of the same major distilleries (and smaller ones) to create unique batches. Some I like more than others, although I can’t recall any that I didn’t care for. This is in the ‘more than others’ camp. A fine bourbon to sit back and sip on neat during a summer evening, or over a cube. This opens up nicely if you’re patient and give it some time in the glass – which I know isn’t always easy. And while I enjoyed what they’ve put inside the bottle – also worth noting is a change to their label design which makes the batch number more prominent. As my eyes aren’t getting any younger, I really like that update! I also found this to make a superb Old Fashioned.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

Barrell Bourbon Batch 036 Read More »

Penelope Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch 18

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Penelope Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch 18
Straight Bourbon Whiskey

57% ABV
$65
Website
Penelope Bourbon Barrel Strength Batch 18
We would like to thank Luxco for sending us samples to review.

What the Blender Says

Penelope Barrel Strength is bourbon in its purest form. Completely uncut and non-chill filtered, our barrel strength bourbon is just as delicious and even more powerful than our signature Four Grain blend.
Each batch of our Barrel Strength is blended from three bourbon mash bills and aged in hand-selected new American oak barrels, imparting notes of caramel syrup and subtle barrel char and pushing the boundaries of our Four Grain’s balanced flavor profile.

Mash Bill: 80% Corn | 8% Rye | 9% Wheat | 3% Malted Barley
Blend of three straight bourbon mash bills distilled in Indiana
Proof: 114
Aged 4 – 6 Years
Uncut & Non Chill-Filtered | Aged 4 – 6 Years

TASTING NOTES
AROMA: Mandarin orange, with hints of vanilla
BODY: Brown sugar, cherry, and sweetened apricot
FINISH: Long finish with soft cinnamon powder and slight spice

What Gary Says

Nose: Blood orange, vanilla, honey, nutty with dark chocolate (and an aroma I can only describe as the Boston Baked Beans candy).
Palate: Chocolate-covered cherries, cinnamon, salted caramel, orange marmalade, nutmeg, and pepper.
Finish: Moderately long, syrupy with cinnamon, honey, and pepper spice.
Comments: For a barrel-strength bourbon, this is very light in color (lighter than the Penelope Toasted Series Batch 24-301). I really dig the Boston Baked Beans note on the nose (and if you’ve never had that candy, I’m sorry someone wronged you in your childhood by failing to introduce you) which is the first time I’ve gotten that note from any whisk(e)y. While it’s a nice enough pour, I was hoping for more. The low proof for barrel strength (as well as lightness in color) leads me to believe this was matured on a lower-level rickhouse where it didn’t get as much action from the barrel. It’s gentle for a barrel-strength bourbon.

Rating: Stands Out

Penelope Barrel Strength Bourbon Batch 18 Read More »

Penelope Toasted Series Batch 24-301

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Penelope Toasted Series Batch 24-301
Straight Bourbon Whiskey

50% ABV
$70
Website
Penelope Toasted Series Batch 24-301 Straight Bourbon Whiskey
We would like to thank Luxco for sending us samples to review.

What the Blender Says

Our Toasted Series is a testament to the power of serendipity. When we began to explore toasted finishes, we weren’t expecting each barrel to be so different — so we decided to embrace this variety of chars and toasts that make every bottle in our Toasted Series truly one-of-a-kind.

After full maturation in charred new American oak barrels, Penelope Bourbon is finished in a new, hand-toasted barrel. While it can be hard to predict the flavor profile of each bottle in our Toasted Series, the deep notes of vanilla imbued by the toasting process add another dimension to our signature flavor profile. Whether you’re into a Heavy Toast or Medium, our Toasted Series
truly offers something for everyone.

That’s the serendipity of Penelope.

Type & Proof: Straight Bourbon Whiskey | 100 Proof | Non Chill-Filtered | Aged 4 Years
Process: Straight bourbon whiskey finished in a new, freshly toasted barrel.
Toasted Barrel: Char 5 | Heavy Toast
Mash Bill: 74% Corn | 21% Rye | 5% Malted Barley

AROMA: Brown sugar and cinnamon breakfast pastry
BODY: Vanilla and graham cracker with hints of dried cherry fruit
FINISH: Savory roasted marshmallow finish and slight spice

What Gary Says

Nose: Vanilla, caramel, brown sugar, subtle cinnamon rolls, toasted marshmallow, cornbread and charred oak.
Palate: Vanilla wafers, honey, caramel, cinnamon, apples, cherries and oranges.
Finish: Moderate in length, syrupy with cinnamon, nutmeg and honey.
Comments: I do get the cinnamon roll note but not nearly to the extent as with Penelope Rio. Overall, this is a very nice pour. Nothing off-putting to me other than the price tag which seems high (thinking of another very well established bourbon brand that offers a ‘toasted barrel’ variety at slightly less proof but more age for a lower price). Now if you’re a whisk(e)y geek, finding batches with different toasting levels and comparing contrasting those would be different and unique (and not something you could do with the other brand) – so that may be worth a premium. A bit of water brings out more honey and graham cracker notes, which I do enjoy – although this is quite nice neat as well.

Rating: Stands Out

Penelope Toasted Series Batch 24-301 Read More »

Joseph Magnus Private Barrel Bourbon Finished in Sherry Casks

/ / Bourbon, Review /

Joseph Magnus Exclusive Private Barrel Bourbon
Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Sherry Casks

51% ABV
$100-$130 (varies by age/retailer)
Website
Joseph Magnus Bourbon Exclusive Private Barrel

What the Producer Says

Jos. A. Magnus is pleased to offer a limited private barrel selection program. Contact us for more information.
NOTE: This bottle was selected for/by Tower Beer, Win & Spirits

What Gary Says

Nose: Dark fruit, vanilla wafers, salted caramel, raisins, smoke, leather and oak.
Palate: Rich mouthfeel, cherry vanilla cola, orange zest with a bit of grapefruit, cinnamon and chili spice.
Finish: Moderately long, drying with black cherry cough syrup and smoke.
Comments: I’m a fan of sherried whiskey, and this is a nice representation of that. Cherry cola isn’t a note I get often, and ironically I don’t like cherry cola, but I do dig that note in my whiskey! A bit of water brings some rickhouse must out on the nose, and the fruit notes start bending towards citrus. This would be a nice cigar smoking bourbon.

Rating: Stands Out

Joseph Magnus Private Barrel Bourbon Finished in Sherry Casks Read More »

Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series: Mizunara

/ / Bourbon, Review / ,

Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series: Mizunara

57.76% ABV
$90
Website
Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series Mizunara
We would like to thank Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Blender Says

Casks made from rare Mizunara hardwood are a true work of art. The wood is meticulously cut, and the barrels carefully raised due to the wood’s characteristics. Mizunara finishing imparts subtle notes of sandalwood, herbal spice, and coconut to bourbon, and precision is required to craft a harmonious blend. This cask finished bourbon was expertly blended using bourbons distilled from multiple mash bills and finished in Mizunara casks for one and a half years.

BLEND COMPONENTS:
Indiana: 6, 7, & 9 years old
Kentucky: 8 years old
Tennessee: 8 & 14 years old

  • A blend of straight bourbon Whiskeys
  • Further matured in Mizunara barrels
  • Bottled in Kentucky
  • 115.52 proof cask strength bottling

DERIVED MASH BILL:
Corn: 76%
Rye: 20%
Malted Barley: 4%

FLAVOR NOTES
An Invigorating nose of fresh strawberry and white peach interweaves with sugar cookies and toasted corn. Vibrant notes of lemongrass and peppermint hit the palate first, then transform to a deep sweetness of Medjool dates followed by an enthralling citrus and woodsy earthiness.

​Neat
Appearance: Amber honey.
Nose: Starts with a burst of strawberry, golden raisin, amontillado sherry, and a touch of sawdust. Then sweeter notes of honey, vanilla, sugar cookie, and white peach appear, followed by cocoa, cherry, oiled leather, toasted corn, and palo santo.​
Palate: The palate is viscous with herbaceous notes of lemongrass, star anise, and peppermint striking first. Honey, sweet cornbread, and dates appear followed by galangal and a woodsy note.
Finish: Spearmint, palo santo, lime zest, and ginger.
With a splash of spring water
An eruption of sandalwood, palo santo, vanilla, and cherry on the nose. The palate brightens with notes of lemon curd, fresh honey, sweet peppermint, and vanilla ice cream and finishes with ginger and lime zest.

What Gary Says

Nose: Sandalwood, berries, raisins, black cherry, ginger snaps, leather, undertones of caramel and vanilla with a hint of minerality.
Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, honey, caramel, bright citrus notes leaning from orange or lemon, peppermint, clove and cinnamon.
Finish: Long, warm and slightly drying with peppermint, citrus spice and honey.
Comments: This is a really nice addition to the Cask Finish Series! Love the spiciness on this one, which drinks closer to a rye to me despite the high corn content. The Mizunara wood brings a lovely earth spiciness to the party, and as has been my experience more often than not – the BCS blending team does a superb job of balancing the finishing to not overshadow the main spirit. A bit of water amps up the sandalwood, brings out notes of cherry cola on the nose.

Rating: Stands Out/Must Try

Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series: Mizunara Read More »