Starlight Single Barrel Huber's Old Rickhouse Rye Finished in Honey Barrels (Selected by Binny's)

This is from Barrel 21-2204, bottled at 114.2 proof. The nose is quite subtle, offering notes of lemon meringue, walnut, and a hint of honey. Its light color is a good reflection of the subdued aroma. On the palate, it starts with citrus and a touch of walnut bitters, a characteristic note found in much of Starlight's Bourbon. It feels very young. I expected more honey but instead detected more clover. The ethanol was noticeable and not in a pleasant way. The finish is reminiscent of tea, almost like a pleasant green tea prepared with honey. Overall, it was underwhelming. It lacked richness and complexity, likely due to this being a new whiskey that was rapidly placed into a finishing barrel – an issue I often find with Starlight Bourbon! Time and again, I get excited about the finishes from this company, only to realize the bourbon is masked to conceal flaws and immaturity. However, their Rye offerings are truly excellent. My recommendation is to stick with Starlight Rye and avoid getting drawn into their finished bourbon. I would pass on this if it were offered to me again.

Honey is definitely noticeable. Mild lemon essence. Very well executed