Bourbon

Broken Barrel Small Batch
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Broken Barrel Staves

47.5% ABV
$35
Website

We would like to thank Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

Broken Barrel Bourbon features a unique blend of corn, rye, and barley that makes it perfectly balanced to infuse. We partnered with an incredible world-class Kentucky Bourbon distillery to select the finest bourbon base for our products. The bourbon is aged a minimum of one year (it has to be) to be called a Kentucky Bourbon, which also ensures a specific quality we’re looking for before incorporate our Oak Bill™.

WHAT IS THE OAK BILL?

After a minimum of one year in new charred oak barrels, the bourbon is dumped to steel tanks, where each batch of Broken Barrel is hit with new French oak staves, ex-bourbon barrel staves, and a blend of ex-sherry cask staves.

Rich, complex, layered and beyond beautiful, Broken Barrel boldly goes where other whiskies won’t – and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Mash Bill:
70% Corn
21% Rye
9% Malted Barley

Oak Bill™
40% French Oak Staves
40% Ex-Bourbon Cask Staves
20% Sherry Cask Staves

A note about Staves – there is a tremendous amount of surface area when using staves to age and flavor a whiskey – much more than merely using the inside of a barrel. There are several more surfaces making contact with the liquid, each adding its own character and flavor.

What Gary Says

Nose:  Vanilla bean, bit of alcohol, corn flakes with a hint of sherry.
Palate:  Sweet with vanilla, caramel, subtle toffee, baking spices with cinnamon, cherries and raisins.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, drying with spice notes and dried fruit.
Comments:  Similar to the Broken Barrel California Oak, this tastes fairly young to me (and is 2-3 years old) – but I like this better. I was surprised with the note of alcohol on the nose at this proof, and that to me speaks to the immaturity of the spirit – even given time in the glass. As I’m not a big wine guy (but do like some sherry matured and finished whisk(e)y!), I definitely preferred this better. I think this use of different barrel staves in various quantities provides some interesting possibilities (similar to Maker’s Mark use of finishing staves, but used within a barrel); just wish they would use more mature spirits.

Rating: Average

Broken Barrel California Oak
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Broken Barrel Staves

44% ABV
$35
Website

We would like to thank Broken Barrel Whiskey Co. and Ro-Bro Marketing & PR for sending us a sample to review.

What the Producer Says

TWO WORLDS COLLIDE

Born in Northern California, raised in Southern California, our founder Seth has California running through his blood. Enamored with Kentucky, and loyal to home, he combined his two favorite states into one award-winning bottle of whiskey. Distilled in Owensboro Kentucky – this Straight Bourbon whiskey is finished with 80% Central Coast Cabernet barrel staves, and 20% French Oak staves. The charred virgin French oak gives a common character found in the wine, while also rounding the sweet dark fruit flavors bleeding from the freshly dumped wine barrels. The marshmallow forward, cherry center, and oak-heavy finish lingers, while remaining balanced and approachable. As our Founder says:

“California Oak was created as a bourbon that could seamlessly bring the wine drinker into the world of whiskey. This is a step into our world and a every day sipping whiskey made to be drank neat, and often.”​

Mash Bill:
70% Corn
21% Rye
9% Malted Barley

Oak Bill™
20% French Oak Staves
80% Central Coast Cabernet Wine Barrel Staves
​
Broken Barrel California Oak Bourbon was awarded the Gold Medal in 2020 at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for finished bourbon.

Batch 001 | Launched March 2020

What Gary Says

Nose:  Soft oak, red wine cask, corn bread, dark fruit notes with subtle cherry.
Palate:  Sweet with vanilla, light caramel, nutmeg, subtle baking spices with red wine notes.
Finish:  Short to moderate in length, damp with spice notes and tannic oak.
Comments:  This tastes like fairly young whiskey to me. That’s distinctly different than what I would call ‘small barrel craft’, as there isn’t anything objectionable, but it also isn’t very exciting. Very easy to drink, and not priced outrageously.  When ‘straight bourbon whiskey’ is on a label of a bottle of whiskey without an age statement, that should mean it is 4 years old.  I reached out and was informed that this product (and the other bourbons to be reviewed here forthcoming) are registered with the TTB as Distilled Spirits Specialty (DSS), and because it is stave finished versus barrel finished, it is not allowed to have any further age statement beyond “Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey”.  If that is how the TTB handles this, put me squarely in the camp of believing they are doing a disservice to consumers, as this only leads to confusion. But I digress – this is younger than 4 years old (2-3 years old, and I’d guess closer to the 2 year mark).  As there are more and more bourbons with cask finishes (which this isn’t exactly that, being finished with staves rather than IN various casks), this doesn’t stand out like it might have 5 years ago. The immaturity of the spirit may disappoint whiskey enthusiasts expecting something resembling a four year old bourbon.

Rating: Average