The Small Batch takes a whole different route. It starts with a sourced whiskey from MGP in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Depending on the batch this is two or three years old. It gets sent to Cooperstown Distillery in Cooperstown, New York. Cooperstown blends the product from MGP with some of their own distillate. They then bottle it and ships it off to Tri-Vin Imports for all marketing and sales of the final product. Cooperstown Distillery does not claim this as one of their products, but their other products are also sold by Tri-Vin. This small batch gets different mash bills and different age statements. So if you do decide you enjoy it, don’t be surprised when the next bottle you grab tastes a little different than you remember.
It’s fascinating to me that two different companies would choose to make an agreement to use the same name for products that are so vastly different in both label and production process. While I see the benefit to Tri-Vin and their small batch, I don’t get what is in all of this for Precision Wines. Precision Wines seems to be producing something for their niche and have designed a nice label and brand to go with it. Tri-Vin seems to have hopped on the bandwagon in an attempt to up-sell some product and utilize the branding Precision Wines is working with. Both products appear to only be distributed by Tri-Vin and have limited availability in Ney York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
Tasting Notes: Barrel Bomb Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
Vital Stats: 43.3% ABV, mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% barley, aged in white oak and Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. Distilled by Green River Distilling Co. $40 per bottle.
Appearance: Clear amber liquid with a hint of copper to it. Legs are thick and quick to form.
What Will Whisky Look Like in 2027? Voices from Whisky Live Paris
READ THE STORYNose: I find the nose interesting with a lot going on. I get hints of chocolate, red fruit, and baking spice all backed up with a twinge of ethanol. It almost reminds me of a stout or a porter.
Palate: The palate is light and hot. I get a beer-like malt and a bit of white pepper up front. There’s a touch of chocolate and caramel sweetness in there., and a hit of tannin on the mid palate as well. That’s followed by a light long finish that has a hint of sweetness and a very mild burn. The addition of water makes the sweetness in this come forward even more, but it stays just as light. I get more malt, caramel, and vanilla with a little less of the pepper note. The finish becomes just a hint of vanilla lingering at the back of the mouth.
Score: 3/5
Trending Content
Tasting Notes: Barrel Bomb Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey
Vital Stats: 45% ABV, distilled by MGP and Cooperstown Distillery, priced at $26 – $30 a bottle.
Appearance: A clear dull yellow that forms thick fat tears that fall at a medium speed.
Nose: I get strong notes of oak and acetone. The oak presents like freshly cut wood and foliage with the scent of caramel and vanilla backing it up.
Palate: The palate really lives up to its name. It tastes like I have just put fresh oak wood shavings into my mouth. This isn’t unpleasant, but it is pretty one note. The finish continues the heavy oak but has a subtle vanilla and black pepper to complement it. Overall it is light and smooth. The addition of water doesn’t change a whole lot. It shifts the palate to have slightly more caramel and vanilla, but they are still just complements to the fresh oak flavor.
Score: 1.5/5
Final Thoughts
These whiskeys are as different in flavor as they are in how they are produced. The small batch is a light oak bomb that isn’t unpleasant, but also isn’t something I want to be drinking. The wine barrel finish is a sweeter style bourbon that made for a perfectly fine sipper that I may just throw into a Hot Toddy in the next couple of days.
