Starlight Single Barrel Huber's Rickhouse Select Bourbon (Barrel #1510)

An impromptu purchase! This had been sitting on the bottom shelf at a local shop for a while. Non-chill filtered and priced at $50, I was sold. I could get a RR single barrel for this price, so my expectations were high. This bourbon is 124.2 proof, made with a 4-grain sweet mash process and distilled in a copper pot still. The mash bill isn't disclosed but seems to meet the minimum for corn (51%) with rye and malted barley at 20% each, and 9% wheat. It's aged for 4 years. The barrels are air-dried for 2-4 years, but the toasting and char level are unknown. Based on the description, this sounds like a serious bourbon, though young. The color is a pleasant amber. When I opened the cork, I anticipated a blast of grain and ethanol, but instead, I got notes of young oak and caramel. Cherry cola emerges from the glass within a couple of minutes. I'm also detecting red-hot cinnamon candy, graham cracker, and perhaps a touch of spearmint. There's a distinct warmth that hints at its age and proof. However, the ethanol is noticeable but not overpowering in the aroma. So far, this is promising, similar to an EHT Barrel Strength. Time for the real test (10 minutes later, as I could nose this all day). It's hot and incredibly viscous. It coats my mouth with warm cinnamon and slides down my throat with caramel. There's some bubblegum character and a malty hint (like Lucky Charms?) from the high barley content. I don't detect much oak, leather, or nuttiness, but I'm not surprised given its age. Can it beat a Camp Nelson A RR bottle? Not a chance – the complexity isn't there. The malt, cinnamon, sweetness, and viscosity are enjoyable. The finish is pleasant, not grand or complex, but long. Mostly toasted marshmallow and cinnamon. With a few more years in the barrel, it might develop dark fruit and oak notes, but that's just my own speculation. At $50, I'd prefer more, but I understand there are startup costs involved. It certainly offers more than a 2-4 year old Peerless bourbon at $20-30 less. It needs to be compared directly with New Riff. Give this another 4 years, and it could be an exceptional single barrel. The creators deserve recognition for their work in southern Indiana. ————— Update: Some edits have been made above. When tasted in a lineup, it didn't perform as well as I expected. It might have been the lineup, and I'll try it again, but the score is decreasing as the initial excitement has passed. Still no regrets, just less impressed. ————— Now I'm looking for a pour of New Riff single barrel bourbon. The wheat is immediately more noticeable on the nose (a soft cereal aroma). Cola and dusty cherries are also present. The palate hits and then fades with flavors of cinnamon, anise, and light caramel. It's definitely a contender for my favorite craft distillery along the Kentucky-Indiana border!

(Barrel #1509) After sampling their small batch offering, I was eager to experience this at cask strength. It's a bit disappointing not knowing the mash bill for this particular barrel. Nevertheless, the higher proof has enhanced the profile with additional flavor and body. It's remarkably clean and smooth for 124.2 proof. There's a distinct pot still character, which is unusual. Towards the finish, notes of dark fruits like raisins emerge. I'm quite pleased with it.