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.
We recently wrote about the latest release of Barrell Bourbon: Barrell Bourbon Batch 008 (say that three times fast and the angel will appear–and take her share, so look out) and noted its high-octane proof. A straight bourbon with a mash bill of 70% corn, 25% rye, and 5 % malted barley, Barrell 008 is distilled and aged in Tennessee and crafted and bottled in Kentucky for 9.5 years in #4 char American white oak barrels.
We’ve reviewed a number of Barrell releases on this site, and I’ve been lucky enough to try the 006 and 007. So when my (delightful!) editors provided me with the 008, I literally clapped my hands in anticipation. Barrell bourbons run high-proof, but, unlike some others, don’t taste like only high-alcohol.
The 008, however, comes in at a whopping 132.8 proof (66.4% alcohol). After promising not to light any matches near my mouth during the tasting process, I cracked open this glorious beast.
Tasting Notes: Barrell Bourbon Batch 008
Vital stats: This will run you about $85 for a 750ml bottle.
Color: Like the 006, it’s got a lot of red in it: Polished cherry wood; an auburn, brownish-red.
Nose: You can certainly smell alcohol—but it’s not harsh. Dark cherries, fresh-cut cherry wood, freshly toasted marshmallow to a light-brown color.
Palate: Well, it’s strong, all right. There’s no way around that. The nose is very sweet in comparison. Fiery on the lips, but that dissipates quickly; it’s an even heat. Consistent flavor profile throughout, with a spiciness that blooms at the finish and then tapers. The finish is pure brown sugar.
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Also: I definitely breathe a little fire after this. It tastes like a high-proof whiskey…but not the almost absurd actual proof it is. If this were a blind tasting, I would say over 100 proof, but not much more.
Final Thoughts:
I am curious what the point is of continuing to push the high-proof envelope. The taste of the 008 is quite pleasant, so I’m not bothered by it, exactly, but is this like the whiskey equivalent of trying hotter and hotter peppers? Or is it more the whiskey version of big-portion eating? Is high-proof eventually going to have its own Food Network show?
These are the things that keep me up at night—provided I’m not drinking high-proof whiskey.
That said: It is nice to have whiskey that isn’t diluted for you. It’s totally fun to get blown back by cask strength-force gales. And heck, you can dilute it on your own with a bit of ice or a few drops of water.
But remember, it’s still high-proof: So please be careful and drink responsibly, yada yada yada.
While Barrell Bourbon Batch 008 doesn’t reach the heights of my beloved Barrell 006, which, sadly, I drank the last drops of a few weeks ago (Barrell, if you’re out there, and have any extra…I know someone who might want it). But it’s tasty and handsome and well-put together—like a clean-shaven Jon Hamm in a good suit.
Score: 86/100
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