Editor’s Note: This whiskey was provided to us as a free sample to review by the party behind it. The Whiskey Wash, while appreciative of this, did keep full independent editorial control over this article.
More than a year ago, we wrote about Barrell Whiskey Batch 001, which was the Barrell Bourbon company’s first foray into blended whiskey. Batch 001 is a blend of seven and eight year old whiskies distilled in Indiana and aged in Kentucky in ex-bourbon barrels (which, according to Barrell, gives it single malt Scotch-like qualities with American-style flavors).
This spirit is not chill-filtered, as this can impact flavor. Instead, they use a coarse particulate filer to strain the small bits of charred oak released by the barrel during aging. The mash is a mix of corn, rye, and malted barley. It is bottled at 122.5 proof (61.25% alcohol).
Barrell, a youngster of a whiskey company, has been making some impressive headway, taking top awards at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, not to mention accolades from reviewers all over the web – including us. The Barrell Bourbon batch 006 is still one of my favorites, and we also loved Barrel Bourbon batches 004 and 005.
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So how does their whiskey stack up?
Tasting Notes:
Color: Yellowish, with a slight greenish tinge.
Nose: Immediately after pouring: It’s very alcohol-forward, but once you get past that, there’s apples, a very buttery piecrust. After it sits a bit: chocolate cupcakes.
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Palate: It tastes like fall and alcohol: Apples, ginger, cinnamon. The finish brings heat without bite, finishing with a pear and a little nutmeg. It is a little jarring and astringent, though; I definitely taste the alcohol. It’s not bad, but more noticeable than I was expecting.
Conclusion:
I really, really, really wanted to love this. And I thought it was good, but it didn’t blow me away like I wanted. I’ve had high-alcohol whiskeys that are smoother. This whiskey improves with sitting and a little ice, but if I had to take this or their Batch 006, there’d be no contest. It retails for about $60, and I think it’s worth it…but it’s just not as much my thing. Your mileage may vary.
FINAL SCORE: 83/100
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