Barrell Craft Spirits Cask Finish Series: Armagnac Bourbon Review

An American blender that has earned my respect is Barrell Craft Spirits. Based in Louisville, Barrell 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); Barrell wants to leave the proofing adventure to each individual’s preference.

 

That doesn't translate to my belief that everything Barrell has done has been perfect. There have been the occasional dud, but they’re few and far between.

 

In 2023, Barrell introduced its Cask Finish Series, which, as the name implies, highlighted the blending team’s ability to add another dimension to its whiskeys. They’ve included Aburana, Tale of Two Islands (a Jamaican Rum and Islay Scotch finish), Mizunara, Ice Wine, and PX Sherry. My favorite to date is the Ice Wine Finish.

 

All of this leads up to the newest member of the Cask Finish Series: Armagnac. Armagnac is a type of French brandy produced in the Armagnac region of southwestern France. Armagnac is one of the world’s oldest spirits, dating back almost 700 years! It is made from distilled grapes and aged in oak barrels.

 

The base of this Bourbon is a blend of the following:

• Kentucky: 10 years old
• Indiana: 7, 8, 11, and 12 years old
• Tennessee: 9, 13, 14, and 15 years old

 

Barrell is big on transparency, except when it comes to where it sources its barrels from. Part of that could involve Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) or other reasons. I’ve been reviewing Barrell’s offerings for many years now, and have educated guesses as to who they source from. I’ve listed that in the bulletted section below.

 

So, will Cask Finish Series: Armagnac take the crown? The only way to know for sure is to #DrinkCurious. Before I do that, I must thank Barrell Craft Spirits for providing me with a sample in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

• Whiskey Type: Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: Undisclosed (assumed Dickel, Beam, and MGP)
• Age: 7 years
• Mashbill: 78% corn, 18% rye, 4% malted barley
• Cooperage: 53-gallon new, charred oak barrels, then finished in Armagnac casks
• Alcohol Content: 56.5% ABV (113°)
• Price per 750mL: $84.99

 

Appearance: I poured the Bourbon neat into my Glencairn glass. It was the color of weathered rust. A bold rim shed a multitude of tears; some fast, some slow, some thick, some thin. It was definitely different.

 

Nose: After allowing about 15 minutes for this Bourbon to breathe, I brought the glass beneath my nose and started sniffing. I found ancient leather, grilled pineapples, chocolate, roasted peanuts, and an earthy quality. Drawing the aroma into my mouth, I encountered RC cola.

 

Palate: With my first sip, I experienced a creamy texture that coated the entire mouth. It also featured a light influence from the Armagnac. The subsequent offered RC cola, orange zest, and black tea on the front, with a combination of roasted peanuts and Nutella on my mid-palate. I detected French oak, tobacco leaf, and clove on the back.  

 

Finish: There was plenty of spice involved, with lots of clove and French oak. There was also a hint of cinnamon spice. The cola component tried to tame the clove. It was a relatively even-keeled finish that lasted 0:56, throwing it squarely in medium territory.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: What’s interesting is just yesterday, I was sipping on another Armagnac-finished Bourbon. These two couldn’t be further apart in smell or taste. I had expected more fruitiness from the Cask Finish Series: Armagnac, which started strong but quickly diminished. At the same time, much of the Bourbon component was lost.

 

It neither knocked Ice Wine Finish off its pedestal nor is it one of the better in this series. It pains me to say this, but I found Armagnac Finish to be the weakest of the competitors. I don’t mean to imply it is bad; it is just unremarkable, and for $85.00, it should be.

 

Your mileage may vary, but I believe 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.