Bourbon

Barrell Vantage

Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys Finished in Mizunara, French, and Toasted American Oak

57.22% 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

Vantage is a blend of straight bourbons finished in three distinct expressions of virgin oak: Mizunara, French, and toasted American oak casks. The result is a warm, elegant bourbon that highlights the many dimensions of oak.

The BCS team has drawn on years of experience with three-part barrel finishing, used previously in Armida, Dovetail, and Seagrass. With Vantage, those same techniques were applied to the oak itself, using different char levels, toast levels, and oak origins to create a multidimensional blend.

Each component whiskey in Vantage is finished separately, then systematically combined according to a blending process fueled in equal parts by a scientific approach, experience, creativity, and experimentation. This process focuses on the wood characteristics and the specific flavor contributions that each cask contributes to the blend. The result is a masterfully blended, perfectly balanced representation of the harmonious synergy between bourbon and barrel.

FLAVOR NOTES
Selected Mizunara, French, and toasted American oak casks create multifaceted dimensions to this unique blend. The unique aspects of each wood and treatment are layered atop one another, precluding the singular taste of oak. The nose is creamy, spicy, and resinous, and the palate is richly textured and oily, soaked with barrel influence.

​Neat
Appearance: Burnt sienna.
Nose: Creme brûlée, coconut oil, and chocolate pudding invoke the creamy richness of toasted American oak. Tarragon, nutmeg, and warm cola are among the dry, extractive spices highlighting the French oak. Mizunara’s incense and grilled pineapple notes, meanwhile, take the profile in a totally different direction.
Palate: Sweet and oily with a pronounced espresso note. It’s pleasantly rich on the tongue, which obscures much of the tannin – surprising given how much wood is present. The French oak’s robust spice notes inflect a maple syrup sweetness.
Finish: Green grapes and red plums burst above the barrel notes for the first time. It’s spicy, too, with za’atar, crystallized ginger and Szechuan peppercorns.
With a few drops of spring water
The nose grows earthier, exhibiting graham cracker and dark chocolate. The spirit’s rye grain emerges, not just with pumpernickel but also celery and chive blossom. The palate grows sweeter, tasting of maraschino liqueur and pavlova. It finishes on grapefruit zest and kola nut.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla flan with light caramel sauce, cocoa, tarragon, oak, nutmeg and hints of tropical fruit.
Palate:  Viscous mouthfeel, caramel packed with spices; cloves, nutmeg, ginger, anise (almost pumpkin spice); sharpens slightly with pepper and oak before a creamy coffee cake note.
Finish:  Long and syrupy with maple syrup and apricot jam.
Comments:  Really nice showcase of how different types of oak can influence a solid blend of bourbons, and with a deft enough hand that the beauty of the bourbon isn’t lost. This is one where I do prefer the palate over the nose (although the nose is really interesting). A bit of water brings more chocolate and marshmallow on the nose, and some cherry cola to the palate, while softening the pepper and still thickening the mouthfeel even more. Just a fantastic, spice packed bourbon!

Rating: Must Try

Yellowstone 2022 Limited Edition
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Finished in Marsala Superiore Casks

50.5% ABV
$100
Website

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 Stephen Beam announced the upcoming release of 2022 Yellowstone Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Featuring a delicately balanced blend of 7-year, 15-year and 16-year aged bourbons hand-selected by Beam and aged in Marsala Superiore casks, the latest expression of Yellowstone Limited Edition will begin to be available in September with a suggested retail price of $99.99 per 750ml bottle.

Since 2015, Beam has produced a unique, limited-edition bourbon annually under the Yellowstone brand, which celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2022, along with its namesake national park. For this year’s Yellowstone Limited Edition, Beam selected Marsala Superiore casks to finish select barrels of 7-year-old-bourbon to provide unique tasting notes to complement the extra-aged bourbons comprising this year’s Limited Edition.

Marsala Superiore is a dry, sweet wine produced near the Italian city of Marsala in Sicily and aged at least two years. A fortified wine similar to Sherry, Marsala imparts tangy flavors of dried fruit and citrus and is often used in cooking or served as a dessert wine.
“I’ve been experimenting with different finishes for the Yellowstone Limited Edition bourbons, and I really fell in love with the impact the Marsala Superiore cask finish has on the overall taste profile of the bourbon,” said Beam. “Consumers can expect an aroma of dried apricots and honey with hints of tobacco; a body that contains dark-brown sugar notes, mixed with dried fruit, walnut and dates, with a hint of vanilla; followed by a lingering finish with hints of palm sugar and tamarind. It’s certain to become a new fan favorite.”

The 2022 Yellowstone Limited Edition Is bottled at 101 proof (50.5% ABV) and sold in custom-designed bottles featuring embossing, a high-end natural cork and a label featuring the 2022 Yellowstone Limited Edition emblem. Beginning in September, the full allocation of 10,000 cases (3 bottles per case) will be available at retail locations nationwide.

“We’ve had a lot to celebrate in 2022, including the launch of Yellowstone Family Recipe and the 150th anniversary of the Yellowstone brand,” said Caitlin Palmieri Jackson, brand manager for Limestone Branch Distillery. “Our 2022 Yellowstone Limited Edition expression is the latest achievement to celebrate this year as the brand family continues to grow, both in terms of overall popularity and varietals offered.”

Tasting Notes
Nose: Dried apricots, manuka honey and complemented by hints of tobacco
Palate: Dark brown sugar notes mixed with dried fruit, walnut and dates followed by hints of vanilla
Finish: Lingering with Palm Sugar and Tamarind

What Gary Says

Nose:  Salted caramel, honey, leather, meaty marsala and oak.
Palate:  Caramel, vanilla, brown sugar , marsala wine notes with apricots, dates, nutmeg, touch of oak and pepper.
Finish:  Long, damp with fading pepper and marsala.
Comments:  I’m a big fan of marsala finished whisk(e)y, and this doesn’t change that one bit. It’s sweet but tangy, and another example that the folks at Limestone Branch know how to hit the mark when it comes to finishing (which I suppose shouldn’t stand out to me, since the last several Yellowstone Limited Editions also reflected this). This is just a fabulous bourbon where the finish adds depth and flavor without stealing the spotlight from the bourbon. Well balanced, and with some water brings out the fruit notes more with apricot jam on the nose.

Rating: Must Try