Barrell Bourbon Batch 021

Nose: Oak, vanilla, light brown sugar. Figs, citrus oil, rosemary, camphor – I'm getting reminded of the camphor tree in my backyard near a navel orange tree, smelling like them in spring and summer. Berries and cream. Black pepper and barrel char – the oak is noticeable here, as expected with the ages involved. Also detecting cigar tobacco and leather. Nutmeg and perhaps a bit of star anise, though not much. The nose offers many mid-range and some lower notes, but lacks brightness, except for that touch of citrus oil. Palate: Vanilla, bananas, berries. Sweet oranges, whipped cream. A solid presence of tannins with good texture as the sip develops. Dusty corn. I'm getting more of that nutmeg and star anise, plus some clove. Not much cinnamon here. Cooked apples. Graham crackers. Nutty and slightly bready – hints of almonds. Also pure cocoa, maduro cigar tobacco, and well-worn baseball glove leather. Medium-heavy mouthfeel. The finish starts with a fantastic pop of citrus oil, slight barrel bitterness and tannins coming forward. Things intensify with blueberries, bananas, ripe strawberries, and apricots, along with unsalted cashews and peanuts. It trails off into a wonderful blend of nutmeg, thyme, basil, apple, and star anise. The finish is medium-long. Other notes: There's been considerable buzz around this company, and for good reason. This is my initial bottle from them, but it won't be the last. There's a lot happening here, and it ventures into territory I don't often encounter with a bourbon. Towards the end, I realized I was getting some vibes reminiscent of a specific bottling from a certain distillery, in the best possible way, though with more overall complexity. I find it quite impressive how well they balanced the oak against all the other elements. A definite recommendation, highly likely to be repurchased, though I'm more intrigued to explore their other offerings after finishing this bottle.

Nose - cherry, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon butter, caramel, leather, chocolate, roasted peanut, orange zest, rich wood, black pepper, moderate to high alcohol sting. Palate - caramel, buttered popcorn, peanut, black cherry, sour apple, marshmallow, chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, barrel char, moderate alcohol sting, finishing medium length with caramel, sour apple, and buttered popcorn flavors. After a run of delicious Springbanks, I'm really wanting some good American whiskey. And where better to find comfort than in some Barrell Craft Spirits bottlings. Over the next few days, I'll be tasting nine of their selections from the relatively inexpensive core expressions to some much older, pricier ones. Let's start with this 2020 Batch 21 bourbon release. While the component whiskies are between 10 and 14 years old, the aroma is very vibrant. Cherry, brown sugar, cinnamon butter, leather, and a rich, toasted quality. The palate presents a smoky, barrel char note, more cherry, chocolate, and some marshmallow. Some unwelcome tartness appears as well, but it's not too much. The mouthfeel and finish are medium. This is a good bourbon. If the palate matched the aroma, this would be an excellent bourbon. I'm thinking about getting the new Batch 31. The prices are likely higher than they should be, but most are these days. Many thanks to a friend for providing the generous sample!

This is by far the best offering I’ve ever had from Barrel Bourbon. An absolute explosion of fruit on the palate, no wonder this earned the SF spirits award. Honestly, I wouldn't have tried it had it not won, due to past experiences with some of the batches. But wow... you can't ask for more from a 10-12 year bourbon.

Rested 10 minutes. Served neat in a glencairn. Nose - cinnamon, burnt sugar, vanilla extract, peanuts Palate - cherry, vanilla, caramel Finish - Big Red, roasted peanuts Great lingering finish. One of the more distinctive bourbons I’ve encountered. I really like this one.

A lovely aroma of toffee, hazelnut, brown sugar, and maple syrup is followed by cinnamon, black pepper, rye spice, and salted butterscotch on the palate. LONG, spicy finish. A few drops of water enhance the experience even further.

Plenty of nutty flavors. Sweet, oily mouthfeel, though I still wish for a bit more sweetness. This is exactly to my liking, I definitely want a bottle to keep for later.