Three Chord Single Barrel Bourbon (Copper Creek Vineyard)

Selected by Bull City Bourbon Club; Designated "David's Secret Chord" Distilled on 05-21-15; Bottled on 11-09-21 Duration - 6 years, 5 months, 19 days 58.6% ABV; 117.2 Proof Opened 2 months Nose - Chalky, grain, caramel, cinnamon powder, artificial cherry, vanilla, white chocolate, cocoa powder, bubble gum, light oak, and moderate ethanol. Palate - Medicinal cherry, dry rye baking spice, bubble gum, spicy ethanol, peanut brittle with minimal peanuts, fresh grains, NYC tap water, and light orange peel. The finish is medium, featuring dry oak and baking spices, more chalk and grain, brittle caramel, and a brief burst of ethanol that quickly dissipates. This product from Barton was underwhelming initially but improved with time. I feared it would be as mediocre as a Yellowstone single barrel I acquired last year, but fortunately, it's more comparable to a robust 1792 Single Barrel. I appreciate companies like Three Chord offering near-barrel proof Barton bourbon at a reasonable cost. It often feels as though Barton is selling aged stock they prefer not to release to NDPs, which is why I likely won't purchase any of their 14+ year old offerings above $100. I don't believe this rivals a good 1792, which are consistently great values but are becoming harder to find. At $60, it's a chance worth taking if you find a selected bottle and enjoy the 1792 profile. As a side note, the more Barton bourbons I've sampled, the more I see a connection to George Dickel's rye-spice character. Barton, particularly their single barrels, exhibit significant chalky minerality and grainy notes. I typically detect this in young MGP or Dickel products. The distinction lies in the lower rye content and charcoal filtering; Dickel is decidedly sweeter than Barton. However, that Flintstone vitamin note commonly cited for Dickel is certainly present in 1792 Single Barrel, Yellowstone, and Three Chord.