Hidden Barn "Perfect Harmony" Madeira Finished Bourbon Review

 

During Prohibition, some distillers were creative at eluding the revenuers and other authorities. Unless you were one of the very select few who were licensed to distill medicinal whiskey, getting caught would have meant an all-expense-paid vacation in an 8x10 prison cell.

 

One of the easiest ways to get caught was the observation of Baudoinia compniacensis, or black mold, growing on the sides of buildings. It was a telltale sign that there was a still inside. One distiller had the ingenious idea to paint his barn black. Others followed suit. Then, to show solidarity, the area farmers painted theirs black, too. Because the black mold was no longer visible, and every barn in the area was black, the illicit distillers had what was referred to as a hidden barn.

 

In a nod to that creativity, Hidden Barn Whiskey was founded in 2022 by Nate Winegar, who serves as its brand ambassador; Matt Dankher, who heads up finance and operations; Royce Neeley, its master distiller; and Jackie Zykan, its master blender. The brand was since acquired by Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta, Kentucky.  

 

Jackie comes with plenty of experience. She was the master taster at Brown-Forman, who created the Old Forester 117 and 150 series. Royce has been the master distiller at Neeley Family Distillery for nine years and is an 11^th-generation distiller. Nate is the founder of the well-known 5280 Whiskey Society and a huge (figuratively and literally) people-person.  

 

Hidden Barn’s newest release is called Perfect Harmony. This Bourbon begins with a mashbill of 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley that Neeley Family Distillery distilled. It aged six years in new, charred oak barrels, then was transferred for an additional seven months in first-fill Madeira barrels. From there, the Bourbon was open-air vatted for several days to allow oxidization. Jackie then blended eight barrels.

 

“It’s rare for a blender to create a blend and know instantly when we’ve hit the mark on what we’re trying to achieve. Very often we think about making tweaks here or there to see what will happen. But this year’s Madeira blend is spot on, with the perfect balance of what I was trying to achieve - the right combination between the oak and Madeira make it come full circle.”  - Jackie Zykan, Master Blender

 

Madeira is a fortified wine, much like sherry, from grapes grown on the Portuguese Madeira Islands off the African coast. Madeira has been in production since the 15th century. In modern times, it is made by oxidizing the wine via a combination of age and heat. When aged in barrels (the process is called cantiero), the process takes anywhere from 20 to 100 years. But the wine is so stable that it will survive essentially forever, even after being uncorked!

 

Perfect Harmony is the third annual release of the brand’s Madeira-finished Bourbon. It is packaged at 49.95% ABV (99.9°), and a 750ml bottle is sold at the Neeley Family Distillery for $89.99. It is also available online and from select retailers in Kentucky, Indiana, New York, California, Georgia, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico.

 

So far, I’ve been very impressed with Hidden Barn’s whiskeys. Before we #DrinkCurious to discover how Perfect Harmony turned out, I must thank Neeley Family Distillery for providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

Appearance: I poured this Bourbon into my Glencairn glass and sipped it neat. The liquid possessed a dark, almost burnt umber color. A fragile rim dispersed a slow, wavy curtain of tears.

 

Nose: When I brought the glass beneath my nostrils, I smelled plums, berries, bing cherries, red apples, and leather. Inhaling the aroma through my lips unearthed grapes and toffee.

 

Palate: Perfect Harmony had a thin yet creamy mouthfeel. I discovered flavors of raisins, prunes, and dried apricots on the front of my palate. The mid-palate offered dates, nutmeg, and a hint of dark chocolate. The back tasted of old leather, dry oak, and vanilla.

 

Finish: I timed the duration at 1:51, making it medium to long. The leather, nutmeg, and chocolate remained prominent. Black pepper made a cameo appearance. Raisins stuck around for the curtain call.  

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Perfect Harmony drank slightly over its stated proof, but that’s not ethanol. Rather, it numbed my hard palate. There was a balance of sweet, fruity, and savory flavors. The dry notes that I pointed out were purposeful; Perfect Harmony sucked all the moisture out of my mouth, leaving me with what I described as “pucker power” that makes me smack my tongue and lips.

 

Hidden Barn is now 3/3 for producing stunningly great whiskeys, and I’m beyond impressed with Jackie’s talents. I wish this one weren’t a limited-edition whiskey. You need to grab a Bottle before this one is no longer available. 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.