Barrell Craft Spirits Batch 035 Bourbon Review & Tasting Notes

Blending is an art form. A good blender will have the desired result in mind. The challenge is how the blender achieves that result. The blender takes a bit of this along with a tad of that, then adds a smidge of something else. The blender then tinkers around with the ratios until things turn out just right.

 

One of the more respected American blenders is Barrell Craft Spirits. Based in Louisville, Barrell has been at it for a decade and has won its fair share of awards (including some from me). Every release is at cask strength; Barrell wants to leave the proofing adventure to each individual’s preference.

 

“It’s incredible to think we’ve launched 35 unique bourbon batches over the past 10 years, which truly speaks to our passion for pushing the creative envelope every day. […] As longtime champions of transparency, this further underscores our commitment to informing consumers about what’s in their glass of whiskey.” - BCS Founder Joe Beatrice

 

Today, I’m exploring Bourbon Batch 035. As you can see, Barrell uses a simplistic naming system with its standard releases. Batch 035 is blended from 6-, 7-, 8-, and 13-year-old Straight Bourbons. The 6- and 7-year whiskeys were higher-proofed, while the 8-year was lower-proof. While they interacted with each other for two months, Barrell took the 13-year and added it to the blend.

 

MGP/Ross & Squibb were used for the 6-, 7-, and 8-year Bourbons. Dickel was used for 7- and 13-year, while Beam was used for 8-year. Barrell does not reveal the names of its partner distilleries; however, they’ve historically been those.

 

The mash bill is 78% corn, 18% rye, and 4% malted barley. Batch 035 weighs in at a healthy 58.75% ABV (117.5°) and has a suggested price of $89.99 for a 750ml package.

 

The critical question is, “How does it taste?” We’ll answer that while we #DrinkCurious. However, before I do, I must thank Barrell Craft Spirits for providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.  

 

Appearance: I sipped Batch 035 neat from my Glencairn glass. Inside, its coloring was a rusty orange amber. It formed a thin, fragile rim that released wavy tears. However, it also left tiny droplets behind.

 

Nose: The aroma began with brown sugar, bananas, strawberries, and maraschino cherries. As I continued sniffing, I encountered plum, milk chocolate, and spiced nuts. I drew the air through my lips and discovered rye spice and sassafras.

 

Palate: A silky texture introduced my palate to flavors of milk chocolate, nougat, and bananas, while at the middle, I tasted plum, spiced nuts, and caramel. The back featured ancho chiles, sesame seeds, and cinnamon powder.

 

Finish: Batch 035 had a long, spicy finish that warmed my mouth and throat. Left behind were ancho chiles, spiced nuts, chocolate, sassafras, and cinnamon spice.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: This Bourbon carries a proof statement of 117.5°, and you’d never know it. Yes, the finish was warm, but this drank like it was about 20 points lower. However, I did feel some tingling in my cheeks. It wasn’t my tongue, throat, or hard palate but my cheeks. I found that rather intriguing. The sassafras was also an attention-getter.

 

I believe Barrell did a great job here, and, to be blunt, despite how much experience the team has, they seem to improve upon a previous release. Batch 034 was a contender for my best Bourbon of the year, and Batch 035 somehow eclipsed it. My recommendation should be obvious; this is what a Bottle rating should be. 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.