Barrell Craft Spirits Batch 004 Straight Rye Review & Tasting Notes

 

It has been almost three years since the blenders at Barrell Craft Spirits released a Rye. The last was in October 2020; Batch 003 was more of a world whiskey, with distillates from Indiana, Tennessee, Canada, and Poland. Just when you thought they gave up on Rye whiskey, here comes Batch 004.

 

“This rye blend highlights rye’s earthier side, featuring notes of tobacco, leather, and molé poblano. Its stewed fruit and wilder savory character recall the syrahs of France’s Rhône valley: blackberry and tapenade on the nose followed by a sweet meaty finish with a hint of black pepper.” – Barrell Craft Spirits

 

Similar components brought Batch 004 to life. It started with Indiana Ryes (MGP/Ross & Squibb), that were 5-, 6-, and 10 years old. Next were 5-year Tennessee (Dickel) and 6-year Kentucky (Beam) distillates, followed by a 14-year Canadian. I’ve yet to nail down who the Canadian distilling partner is.

 

Once blended in Louisville, Kentucky, its derived mashbill is 89% rye, 7% corn, and 4% malted barley. Everything aged in American white oak barrels. Anything Barrell releases is non-chill filtered and packaged at cask strength: Batch 004 comes to us at 57.85% (115.7°). It has a suggested price at retail of $89.99, which is standard for Barrell’s flagship whiskeys.

 

Let’s get some disclosure out of the way. I’ve had many opportunities to review what Barrell puts out for several years. Its Bottle-Bar-Bust ratio runs heavy on the Bottle side (I reviewed Batch 035 Bourbon last week). At the same time, I expect a lot from Barrell before I open the box to see what’s inside. Also, Barrell provided me a sample of Batch 004 in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Now that we got the background out of the way let’s #DrinkCurious, shall we?

 

Appearance: I sipped this whiskey neat from my Glencairn glass. It appeared the color of a slightly tarnished copper. A thread-like rim formed, leaving behind thick, straight tears that fell back into the pool.

 

Nose: Dill and peppermint formed the aroma’s base, while smells of apples, apricots, raisins, tobacco leaf, and toasted oak struggled to unbury themselves. When I drew the air into my mouth, caramel and cinnamon tangoed across my tongue.

 

Palate: The texture was thick and heavy, and the liquid coated every crevice in my mouth. Initially, I tasted raisins, floral rye, and dried apricot. Dark-roast coffee, poblano peppers, and dark chocolate flavors hit the middle of my palate. The back consisted of leather, oak, and black pepper.

 

Finish: The finish was long, spicy, and even felt leathery. The longer I waited, the more it continued to build. Dark chocolate, poblano peppers, toasted oak, leather, and clove were easily identified. Then, freshly-cracked black pepper dominated, yet as it crescendoed, it fell off and vanished.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: What’s my verdict on Batch 004? My initial reaction was almost confusion. I loved the molé aspect (that’s a favorite when I’m eating Mexican food). The raisins and dried apricots seemed strangely out of place. The floral spiciness reminded me of a younger Rye. It floated across various spectrums. I see Batch 004 being a polarizing whiskey, and because of that, it deserves my Bar rating. Cheers!   

 

My Simple, Easy-to-Understand Rating System

• Bottle = Buy It
• Bar = Try It
• Bust = Leave It

 

Whiskeyfellow encourages you to enjoy your whiskey as you see fit but begs you to do so responsibly.