Barrell Foundation Double Barrel Bourbon

The nose starts with baking spices like allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, then moves to citrus, stone fruit, fig, and green oak. The alcohol is present but not overpowering. The palate features flan, light caramel and vanilla, the fig from the nose, orange whip, bakers chocolate, toffee, tea leaf, and bitter wood/oak. It has good strength but might be missing some nuance and depth. The finish has toasted oak, rye spice, white pepper, allspice, nougat, and pipe tobacco. The white pepper and oak notes persist. The mouthfeel is medium-bodied and creamy, without any harshness. There are some really nice aspects here, and things come together well for a nicely balanced experience. So why is my review so reserved instead of raving about it? Well, some youthful characteristics manage to appear; perhaps a bit hotter and more bitter than ideal. I think at 7 years instead of 5 this could be a real gem. That said, it's a solid product from Barrell. At $53, the price is right. I pondered the final score for this for a while, and ultimately, while I did enjoy it at the price, I'd choose other things first. Since 3.95 is not possible here, a reluctant 3.75 will have to suffice.

The aroma presents chocolate-covered raisins, vanilla, caramel, a bit of honey, and the faintest hint of cherry. 🍒 The palate offers toasted marshmallow, which I expected to find in the aroma. A second taste revealed a slight coconut-like brightness. The finish is quite swift and concludes smoothly, offering a pleasing balance of ample flavor and pleasant smoothness, inviting another sip. This swift, well-rounded finish seems like the ideal equilibrium—sufficient taste to satisfy, yet smooth enough to encourage further enjoyment.

Appearance: dark amber. Nose: red hot candies, oak, banana. Palate: sweet woody. Spicy cinnamon candy coated fruit cocktail. Drying, long finish of sugary tobacco. Some grape/banana/maple flashes in the mid. Fairly complex, love everything about the finish. Overall: Fun beginning, substantial middle, and an enjoyable long finish. Red hots, fruit pie, with a puff of a sweet cigar at the end.

Consistently excellent all around. The nose has a lot of creamed corn with some dried berries. The palate offers fresh berries along with vanilla cream and a touch of oak. The finish is short but pleasant, with the vanilla note lingering at the end.

Nose: tropical fruit, raisin, creamy vanilla, caramel, peppery spice, oak. Palate: tropical fruit, caramel, honey, oak, sweet vegetal notes. Finish: sweetness turns dry, cracked pepper, burnt brown sugar, sweetness returns on the linger.

Vanilla and caramel on the nose. Possibly some fruit. The flavor is sweet, with toasted oak, vanilla, and creme brulee topping.