Barrell Bourbon Batch 029

From a recent trip to a spot in KCMO. I have talked about this place before, so look at my other reviews if you are going to be nearby. It’s a paradise for whiskey fans! Smell: Golden, rich, sweet spices, buttery, smoky. The smell of this is incredible! It brings to mind outdoor festivals with scents of delicious food, grilled meats, aromatic smoke, and forests. Everything I adore. This bourbon makes me want to be outdoors by a fire, wrapped in something warm, with fantastic music playing! Taste: A rich, smooth sensation and flavor with just the right hint of spice. Really, the taste is just like the smell, and I’ve never experienced a bourbon quite like it. It’s so distinctive and wonderful, I absolutely have to get some right away! A beautiful smooth sweet spice flavor, but there’s much more, like spice notes, citrus rind, oak, smoke, and richness, but not sweet caramel, which I think is great! For me, it’s that golden aroma and taste that captivate me and make me exclaim, "YES!" I’m not sure what creates the golden scent or flavor, but I love it. It’s just pure indulgence. An uncommon perfect score! Scores are based solely on my experience, not price.

I regret not trying this sooner. A friend brought it over for a side-by-side comparison of different batches. My '019 batch was distinctly nutty, reminiscent of pecan pie. I suspect that Kentucky/Tennessee blend contains a significant portion of Beam mixed with older Dickel. This particular bottle was quite different. It had a strong aroma, with notes of toffee, candy cigarettes, red apples, clove, and leather, alongside oak. The palate had a pleasing weight, similar to an Irish pot still whiskey. This clearly originated from MGP, offering a robust mix of sage, cedar, clove, and other baking spices blended with toffee and oak. There's a subtle minerality characteristic of Dickel, but none of the Beam nuttiness. I can't definitively identify the Kentucky component, but I believe it contributes the toffee and oak flavors. Warm and oily, this is an excellent choice.

A crisp nose reminiscent of dark sawdust with a hint of rye. Further sniffing reveals hay, raisin, butterscotch, caramel, vanilla, and orange... or perhaps apple... or peach. The fruitiness is elusive. The palate follows with an added creamy egg custard sweetness that evokes crème brûlée, right down to the burnt sugar – more so than other brûlée-like bourbons I've sampled. Leather and tobacco are present, possibly even candied apple. A long, sweet finish with baking spices and toffee, and a hint of pepper. Delicious. Regarding the expert review, either their sense of smell was impaired that day, or mine is. It's comparable to High West Prairie Bourbon barrel select.

Aroma - sweet cream-like aroma... burnt marshmallow... oak and vanilla. Some floral notes and tropical fruit are present... very complex and enjoyable. It seems like something new emerges with each sniff. Taste - I love it when the smell matches the taste... massive vanilla and slight orange citrus. It has a significant creaminess to it. Completely different from any bourbon I've tried. Reminds me of an Orange Creamsicle. Caramel and oak provide an amazing, long-lasting finish. There's enough heat here that lingers, reminding you to savor this one. Outstanding.

A captivating experience during a whiskey tasting! The nose had a peppery quality, the palate surprisingly delivered warmth, and the finish concluded with a tobacco note. As I savor it, memories of enjoying cigars with friends on special occasions surface. It's not an everyday sipper, but it's certainly intriguing.

Nothing remarkable stands out in the aroma, just a faint hint of spice. On the tongue, wow! This bourbon is full and rich with strong notes of spices. A long finish makes this bourbon ideal for sipping. Not for beginners, but for a connoisseur.