Barrell has only been around since 2013, which is a surprise, since their whiskies have the quality of a longtime maker. But they’re a non-distilling producer: They search out interesting single barrels and bottle them at cask strength. All of Barrell’s products all limited profile, however, so once they’re gone, they’re gone. Let’s just say I’m very miserly with doling out Batch 006.
We have reviewed a number of Barrell bourbons and whiskies on this site, and so when the latest bourbon, batch 007 came in, I jumped at the chance to review it. And yet like any good spy, its origins are shrouded in secrecy. Barrell Bourbon Batch 007 comes from Tennessee, where it is both distilled and aged. Its mash bill is 70% corn, 25% rye, and 5% malted barley. It has been aged for five years in char #4 American White Oak. Like all Barrell Bourbons, this one is bottled at cask strength: 122.4 proof.
Oh, 007. Would you be as smooth, dark, and sexy as Batch 006? Or would you be kind of nice not but quite for me, like their Batch 001 whiskey?
Tasting notes: Barrell Bourbon Batch 007
Appearance: Rich and deep, the hue of a medium-bodied beer.
Nose: Butter, brown sugar, like sugar cookies fresh out of the oven. Behind that, a woodsy quality, a faint trace of evergreen.
Palate: Nice mouthfeel. Weighty but not thick or heavy. Sharp on the lips, but smooth on the palate. There is some fire for sure, but it dissipates quickly. Orange, citrus, and that woodsy/piney after-effect more on the palate than the nose. My co-taster found the nose more welcoming than the palate, but I disagreed. This whiskey comes in slightly blustery—likely owing to its high alcohol content—but that initial sharpness and spice quickly mellows on the finish. It still does have a little burn, more so than the 006—but I wouldn’t kick it out of bed. It’s 007, after all.
Final Thoughts: I found Barrell Bourbon 007 tasty, and I’d return to it for a high-proof tipple, without a doubt. I think its sharpness would mellow with an ice cube or with a couple drops of water, if you want to smooth it out. But it’s not stealthy, and I’d kind of wanted that quality. The 007 will run you about $90, so it’s on the pricier side, but I think it’s also worth it to get something limited and unusual.
Score: 86/100.
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