Barrell Craft Spirits Gray Label Seagrass (2022 Release)

The aroma begins with a robust, earthy rye dominant blend of pine needles, spearmint, and subtle fruits like pineapple, apricot, and pomegranate seeds in the background, followed by a butterscotch crème brûlée topped with candied fennel seeds, then fruits such as banana's foster, Morello cherry jam, and tangerine orange that transitions to a trickling stream flowing over stones, cracked black pepper, candied ginger, and fresh-cut hickory burning in an open fire with a strong ethanol burn. The taste presents a viscous mouthfeel starting with a moderate bitter rye spice that subsides into a mixture of rich butterscotch pudding along with earthy rye-forward flavors of charred pine cones, spearmint, wintergreen, and medium fruits like canned pineapple chunks, apricot jam, and diced sugared strawberries before a trickling stream washing over river stones, followed by fruits of caramelized bananas, stewed cherries, and candied orange peel that transitions to cracked black pepper, juniper berries, candied ginger, and fresh-cut hickory burning in an open fire with a strong ethanol burn. The finish is long with charred pine cones, tangerine orange, grilled pineapple rings, raspberries, rich butterscotch pudding, spearmint, leather, and polished oak. This is a substantial, bold, and creamy rye where the flavors are amplified significantly, and you really need to brace yourself for it. The aroma is so rich with the rye taking center stage, with the finishes of Martinique rum, Madeira, and apricot brandy adding light fruity notes to enhance the complexity without overpowering that aged rye base, which carries over to the taste with an olive oil-like viscosity that coats the mouth but stumbles slightly at the outset with a moderate bitter spice before finding its balance with an incredible harmony of aged rye with those fruity finishes emerging more but still in the background of those rye notes, and it finishes long and creamy with those high rye notes, citrus, and aged polished oak. Comparing the standard Seagrass to the 16 isn't really a fair comparison, as the standard Seagrass seems to emphasize the fruit flavors more while the rye plays a supporting role. However, with the Seagrass 16, it's the opposite, with the rye flavors front and center and the fruits playing a supporting role. The choice would depend on whether you prefer a sweet or savory rye, as both are expertly crafted and delicious. A better comparison is another savory rye, the Lock Stock and Barrel 18, against which the Seagrass 16 makes the Lock Stock seem thin, youthful, and lacking the complexity provided by the finishes in the Seagrass 16. At over $250, this is an expensive indulgence but can easily outperform any Whistlepig Boss Hog at twice the price and is one of the most substantial, bold, and complex ryes available, if not the best.

Consumed neat. Received as a sample, thanks to whiskey enthusiasts who share unique and limited bottles. I'm a big fan of the original Seagrass, having owned batch 1. That initial rye was a blend from various US states and Canada. This expression, however, is 100% Canadian, which allows for its 16-year age statement. It's distinct from simply aged Seagrass, possessing its own character despite sharing the same finishing process. The 100% Canadian origin is evident on the nose, reminiscent of Alberta Premium, with a strong peppery quality. The oak is pleasant and more noticeable than the color suggests, offering a refreshing woody aroma, like a spring walk in the forest. Hints of peaches and cream appear, specifically the peach skin, and the whipped cream scent is lovely. While it lacks the finishing depth of the original Seagrass, what's present is delightful. It might be my favorite Canadian Rye nose, surpassing any Whistle Pig or Alberta Premium. The mouthfeel is nearly perfect: oily, creamy, coating, and light on the tongue. The texture is wonderful. My first sip surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. Despite initial skepticism about the price, it's truly delicious. The flavor hits the palate instantly. Letting it rest and move on the tongue reveals its complexity: sweet and peppery, with a Sprite-like effervescence. The wine influence is detectable, and the oak makes its presence felt. The swallow intensifies, delivering an amazing flavor explosion. The vanilla whipped cream and peach notes surge forward on a sweet wave. It doesn't even present as a Rye until the finish, which is all about oak, rye, and pepper. The sweetness remains but takes a secondary role in the finale. The finish could be described as dry, evoking an Oaked Chardonnay, a clear sign of its 16-year age. I thoroughly enjoyed this. I might even seek out a bottle. The name Seagrass makes sense due to the finishing, but it truly stands on its own. Comparing it to the original Seagrass is unfair, as the original offers amazing value at $80. This isn't three times better, nor does it overshadow the original. However, it's among the best high-aged Ryes I've experienced. The finishing adds a balancing sweetness and flavor that complements the oak, which would otherwise be dominant and drying. I suggest approaching this release as a unique entity, rather than in comparison to the standard Seagrass.

Golden with an orange tint. The aroma is initially somewhat muted. Cinnamon, caraway, apple, and leather give way to stone fruit and light maple syrup. Hay, eucalyptus, wet stone – it's almost like a Gewürztraminer. Intriguing. Dusty bubble gum and even some jammy notes appear. We're definitely not in traditional bourbon territory anymore… After some time, this clearly reveals itself as rye (pumpernickel, tea, herbs) but with substantial fruit and borderline-astringent oak. It certainly has more tannic and earthy qualities than the green label Seagrass, which shares some similar notes and on the palate doesn't conceal the rhum, Madeira, and apricot brandy finish – in fact, it twists and turns through these flavors 3-4 times, in that order, before making you want another sip. Will this lead me down such a complex path? Incredible spice! This has a bit more viscosity initially and a drying sensation at the end. Abundant spices – clove, caraway, anise, pepper, tobacco (okay, not technically a spice, but bear with me). Then a wave of maple and brandy notes (jam, chocolate, blood orange), followed by aged oak and perhaps even a hint of furniture polish. The more I sip, the more the leather and oak emerge, but not overwhelmingly. There's always a balance with that deep concentration of spices, dark cigar wrapper, and unique fruit. The fruit is indeed unique. Not the clean, crisp apricot or red berries of its green label sibling. This is more like stewed, almost hogo-like fruit. Frankly, this is demanding. It's rewarding, but challenging, requiring both patience and a significant financial commitment. I enjoy it considerably more than the green label Seagrass but don't know if it justifies the cost. I would happily pay $100-125 for it, but $250 is pushing it. The aged notes are fantastic, but honestly, it's a touch too hedonistically sweet for me, largely due to the unfamiliar light maple and fruit character. It's not cloying, but it's not subtle either. The way the sweet notes overpower the earthy and oak notes on the finish is the opposite of how I prefer things to conclude. Verdict: I would try before buying, but I didn't, and now I have a slight sense of buyer's remorse. Not because it's bad, because it's fantastic. It's just incredibly expensive, so much so that I'm deducting a quarter of a point.

Initial impression is this resembles the gold, but it's gentler. Honey is immediately apparent. Lots of honey followed by caramel. It smells sweeter than the gold. Instead of floral notes, I'm getting more freshly cut grass and then abundant sugarcane, the rum character is much more noticeable to me than in the gold. With time, more caramel and grass emerge. It's definitely more caramel than fruit when compared to the gold. Overall, a very pleasant aroma, perhaps sweeter and earthier than the gold, with slightly less complexity but still very distinctive and enjoyable. After a few sips, I detected hints of oak and subtle fruit. Body: quite unusual. Despite the higher proof and my expectation that it would be substantial, it was the opposite. It was light, soft, and subdued. It's a light to medium-bodied drink. It's curious that it's less full-bodied than the gold but has a higher proof. Perhaps my palate is off today, or maybe it's just not as full-bodied. It certainly delivered the Kentucky hug. Palate: caramel, vanilla, red fruits like raspberry. Some of that fresh-cut grass or hay came through on the palate. It lacks the brandy element that I really enjoyed in the gold. Finish: medium to short. It doesn't have the same duration as the gold, which provided a very prolonged lingering sweetness. This is woodier and shorter. Not bad, just different. Note: ok, so now I have seagrass, seagrass silver, and gold. Somehow I've started with the gold and am working backward, which just seems illogical, but what can you do? Let's see how this 16-year-old seagrass compares to its older sibling. Well, I like this version, but I prefer the gold. This is an intriguing interpretation of whiskey with its rye base and rum and brandy barrel aging. I will certainly enjoy this bottle alongside the gold. However, the gold has more going on; the rye is more pronounced, with red hot cinnamon, plums, and honey rum. This one is more honey rum and earthy. It's very good; no one should ever turn down a dram of this, BUT the gold is simply more engaging.

Batch 1 / 65.41% Aroma: Initially quite potent, with a trace of dill/mint, cinnamon, cloves, caramel, and a subtle note of dried apricot/peach (enhanced with water). With water, it becomes more lively, featuring quick apricot and dill/mint at the forefront, followed by a wave of caramel and sweet, drying leather. Taste: Very drying, with dark dried apricots, habanero heat/tingle, cinnamon, drying sweet leather, and caramel (enhanced with water). With water, notes of dried apricots, sweet drying leather, caramel, a "generic rum vibe", cinnamon, and a bitter dill/mint stem. Finish: A lingering sweet caramel, sweet leather dryness, dill/mint stem bitterness/dryness, apricot, and drying sweet leather (enhanced with water). With water, it remains the same. Score: 88/100 Final Thoughts: I'm uncertain if less active apricot brandy casks were utilized or if older rye is less receptive to fruity cask maturation, but this exhibited less cask influence compared to the NAS Seagrass. It also felt somewhat hot, and water significantly improved it. It still presented strongly as a rye, even tasted blind. However, similar to the NAS version, the apricot brandy was dominant, followed by the Martinique rum, and frankly, I detected no Madeira influence. It did offer a pleasant sweet leather dryness, though the proof sometimes made it a bit distracting. This expression is best with a little water and is good, but I don't believe it warrants the 4x price increase over the standard Seagrass. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - No Would I buy a bottle? - No NOTE - All reviews are done without factoring in price.

Nose - apricot, peach, butterscotch, coffee, vanilla cream, dark chocolate, pear, baked apple, sawdust, honey, earthy mint, clove, anise, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - salted caramel, vanilla, spiced apple, pear, apricot, peach, orange oil, dark chocolate, cherry jam, honey, anise, clove, spearmint, ginger, black pepper, rich oak, moderate alcohol bite, finishing long with apricot, stone fruit, and citrus oil flavors. For my 500th review, I wanted something special and likely to receive a high rating from me. And with t8ke giving this a rare perfect score, the 16 Year Gray Label Seagrass is as good as any to mark the occasion. However, I wasn’t particularly impressed with the standard Seagrass release, so let’s see how this stacks up. The nose is rich and darkly fruity with apricot, peach, dark chocolate, and a host of earthy rye spices. It’s unquestionably superior to the standard release’s. The palate is similarly darker, richer, and oilier. Those stone fruits are right up front with deep orange oil and sour cherry jam flavors. The mouthfeel is thick and the finish lingers pleasantly. I was asked to compare this with the standard Seagrass release. Well the results are in, and this is way better. It shares the same DNA, but fixes all the issues I had with the younger counterpart. The $250 price tag is questionable, but the quality isn’t. This isn’t perfect, but it’s outstanding and probably the best rye I’ve ever tried. A huge thank you to a friend for providing the generous sample!