Barrell Bourbon Batch 037 Review

 

Blending is an art form. A good artist has the desired masterpiece in mind. The challenge is how to get there. In blending, it takes a dash of this, a dab of that, and an eye of newt (okay, maybe not that last one). The long and short of it is that unless you rely on dumb luck, mixing stuff randomly usually turns out awful. It is why I abandoned my infinity bottle project several years ago; I took excellent whiskeys and made something that made my left eye twitch.

 

One American blender that has earned my respect is Barrell Craft Spirits (BCS). Based in Louisville, BCS has been at it for over a decade and has won its fair share of awards (including some from me). Almost every release is at cask strength (two years ago, it released Foundation, which was not); BCS wants to leave the proofing adventure to each individual’s preference.

 

BCS also doesn’t mind taking out much of the mystery behind its blends. Batch 037 is its newest release, a blend of straight Bourbons from Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, with the youngest being eight years old. 

• Indiana: 8-, 11-, and 12 years old
• Kentucky: 10 years old
• Tennessee: 13-, 14-, and 15 years old 

The entire run consisted of 1,500 cases, with a limited number of signed bottles by Joe Beatrice, Tripp Stimson, or Nic Christiansen, the blenders at BCS.  

 

This #DrinkCurious moment would not have been possible without BCS providing me with a sample. And now, it is time for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

• Whiskey Type: Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: Undisclosed from Kentucky (assumed Jim Beam), Tennessee (assumed Cascade Hollow), and Indiana (assumed MGP/Ross & Squibb)
• Age: 8 years
• Mashbill: 78% corn, 18% rye, 4% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, charred oak 53-gallon barrels
• Alcohol Content: 55.69% ABV (111.38°)
• Price per 750mL: $84.99

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. The orange-brown liquid formed a fragile rim with wide, crazed tears.

 

Nose: After allowing 10 minutes for it to breathe, I brought the rim of the glass under my nostrils and began sniffing. Notes of chocolate, toffee, hazelnuts, brown sugar, and orange rind were evident. Inhaling the vapor through my lips provided a smell of fudge.

 

Palate: Batch 037’s mouthfeel was buttery with a medium body. On the front, I tasted caramel, bananas, and vanilla cream. Next came orange peel, hazelnuts, and cinnamon spice. The back featured dark chocolate, charred oak, and toffee.

 

Finish: Bananas, toffee, oak spice, cinnamon, dark chocolate, and hazelnuts stuck around. I also encountered a soft charcoal component. The entire finish lasted 2 minutes and 4 seconds, making it very long.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: In the two dozen or so whiskeys I’ve had from Barrell Craft Spirits, only a handful weren’t eye-opening. Batch 037 is, in some ways, subdued. It drank about ten points lower than its stated proof. In other ways, it dominated. I found myself focused on what I was drinking and enjoying the sipping experience.

 

While inflation has been taking a toll on the economy, BCS has maintained a level pricing structure. When considering a barrel-proof Bourbon with components between 8 and 15 years, the $90.00 price is well within the realm of fairness.

 

Batch 037 is delicious. It does lag behind Batches 035 and 036, yet it is one of BCS’s better offerings, and it earns my Bottle 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.