Barrell Bourbon Single Barrel Cask Strength (Barrel S401)

Barrel S145, 107 proof Wow! One of my favorite activities is to visit local distilleries. There's at least 50 within an hours drive so if I visit one monthly, It's years until there is a next visit and the experience is renewed. The best part is the rick house and to take in the angels share. Many tours no longer include a rick house visit and most of the upstarts have limited angel share for you to experience. At Buffalo Trace, you catch the aroma as you walk onto the grounds. So the Barrell guys have put angels share in a bottle. With the glass sitting two feet away the aroma wafts over and I am transported to the rick house. (and this is a 1/2 oz neck pour sample). We will be sharing this at our Christmas get together so I wanted it to get some air It's 14 years old and the ethanol is way in the background. Well integrated oak greets you on the nose along with caramel corn and toffee. After half an hour I get some peach cobbler. At an hour there is burnt marshmallow. Time to taste this baby. Caramel corn greets you first and it takes but two drops to fill your mouth with flavor that goes and goes like the Energizer Bunny. Amazingly, there is very little heat. Alternating between sniffing and tasting now and I like the sniffing best, love that angels share. I smoke my brisket with white oak and that oaky smoke is in there too and lays on the palate after a sip. After an hour of open time that burnt marshmallow is on the finish. This stuff is pricey but a half oz gives you a two hour experience. Ice ruins it. Nicely done, I dub it perfection in a bottle

Nose: leather, wood, vanilla, cinnamon, sweet. Palate: sweet and spicy, with an alcohol burn. Medium oily mouthfeel with a persistent finish and burn. Considering it's a 14-year-old bottle for $100, it's pretty enjoyable!

The aroma begins with apple cinnamon and a background of stewed fruit. It's surprisingly smooth for a 14-year-old at high proof, performing well below its strength. The flavor is very fruity upfront with tea-like undertones, concluding with hints of lemon and oak tannin in the background. Offers good value for its age.

***STAFF PICK BARREL Z5V9*** Nose - Vibrant fruit, a hint of peanut, cherry, and vanilla. Palate - Echoes the nose with more nutty and oak characteristics, genuinely quite good. Mild cinnamon. Finish - A lighter rendition of the palate with more pronounced cinnamon.