Reviews of Broken Barrel Honey Smoke: Reserva and x Black Hjerte American Whiskeys

Established in a California garage in 2012, Infuse Spirits is the brainchild of Seth Benhaim. He was only 25 years old, but he had ideas about what was missing in the spirits world – infused spirits. He started with vodka and was the youngest distiller to win Best-in-Show and Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

 

Seth then directed his attention to whiskey. Rather than just aging distillate in a barrel, he wanted his whiskey to go through a finishing process. While most distillers and blenders would use a second barrel to accomplish this, Seth wondered what would happen if used barrel staves were thrown into a mass of liquid.

 

He transferred the aged whiskey from several barrels to large, stainless steel tanks. Seth then placed broken staves inside the tanks, believing that the whiskey would interact with a larger surface area than a barrel could accomplish. Thus, the Broken Barrel Whiskey brand was born.

 

“Though it is often debated, we HOLD FIRM that barrels INFLUENCE roughly 80% of the final flavor of a whiskey. The Notes and character created from contact with oak are what shape the whiskeys we love and enjoy.” – Seth Benhaim

 

Today, I’m sampling two of its expressions: Honey Smoke: Reserva and x Black Hjerte. Before digging into these, I must thank Broken Barrel Whiskey for providing me with samples in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest reviews.

 

Let’s #DrinkCurious!

 

Honey Smoke: Reserva

 

This American whiskey begins with 99% corn and 1% malted barley mashbill. It was distilled by an undisclosed Kentucky distillery then aged six years before finishing with 50% honey barrel staves and 50% Texas Sotol barrel staves. Packaged at 55% ABV (110°), a 750ml comes with a suggested price of $79.99. It is distributed to California, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Oklahoma and South Carolina. It can also be purchased online from Seelbach’s.

 

If you’re like me, you’ve never heard of Sotol before. It comes from agave-like plants called  Dasylirion wheeleri and Dasylirion texanum. They’re more commonly known as sotol in Spanish. It is actually part of the asparagus family and has a smoky, sweet quality.

 

Appearance: I drank this whiskey neat from a Glencairn glass. The liquid inside was brilliant gold. A medium rim formed and released tears that took a crazy path down the wall of my glass.

 

Nose: I must be honest; I expected the aroma to be very honey-forward. Instead, I smelled what I can only describe as smoked mushrooms. It was earthy and, well, smoky. Underneath those, I could identify raw honey, vanilla, and oak. I found mushrooms and oak when I brought the vapor into my mouth.

 

Palate: The texture was fragile, and I was baffled as I tasted it for the first time. It was as if a tsunami of flavors rushed at me simultaneously. When I could finally narrow things down, I tasted vanilla, raw honey, and earthiness on the front of my palate. The midpoint offered corn and a touch of maltiness, whereas the back featured French oak, green pepper, and a wisp of smoke.

 

Finish: I found the finish to be very short. Honey, green pepper, mushrooms, and smoked oak were there, but I needed several sips to nail down.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: I crave creativity and have a “thing” for unique whiskeys. I commend Broken Barrel for doing something few have done by harvesting Sotol staves. I realize that this is rare, but at the same time, I’m not sold on it. It isn’t a bad whiskey, but I’d have some buyer’s remorse if I spent $80.00 for this opportunity. It deserves my Bar rating.

 

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x Black Hjerte

 

Broken Barrel considers x Black Hjerte an “industry first.” It begins with an American Rye and Light Whiskey blend of 51% rye, 48% corn, and less than 1% malted barley. Both were distilled in Kentucky. The finishing process comprises 60% coffee liqueur barrel staves and 40% blood orange coffee liqueur barrel staves sourced from Laurel Canyon Spirits.

 

This unique whiskey is packaged at 53.5% ABV (107°), and a 750ml bottle has a suggested price of $95.00. It can be acquired from Broken Barrel’s website.

 

Appearance: This whiskey was sipped neat from my Glencairn glass. It presented as a deep, caramel color and formed a thicker rim. A wide curtain of tears crashed back into the pool.

 

Nose: Unsurprisingly, coffee was a significant factor in the sniffing experience. It smelled just like my father's black coffee (two sugars, no cream). As I continued to explore, the aroma included orange bitters, cola, and oak. Drawing the air through my lips introduced me to what I could swear was coffee ice cream.

 

Palate: The mouthfeel was thin and slightly oily. I tasted coffee and hazelnuts throughout the front, middle, and back. The back added oak.

 

Finish: Its duration was medium-long, with notes highlighting coffee's influence.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Broken Barrel suggested this could be sipped neat or used as a cocktail base. I’d opt for the latter unless you want a whiskey that tastes like a cup of hazelnut coffee. It drank way, way under its stated proof. I appreciate what Seth set out for; it isn’t my jam. I suggest you try this one before spending almost a C-note, hence 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.