Barrell Haz-Mat Triple Rum Cask Finish Whiskey Review

 

Haz-Mat whiskeys can be a lot of fun. They’re called Haz-Mat because they’re at least 70% ABV (140°), which makes them subject to hazardous materials shipping regulations. There are even restrictions against traveling by air with a Haz-Mat whiskey in your luggage!

 

Some folks may scoff at the idea of drinking Haz-Mat whiskeys – at least via a neat pour – because they’d be too hot. That, like many rules of thumb, does not always hold true. I’ve had some in the 145° to 150° range that felt more like 100° or 110°, and others that have brought tears to my eyes, triggering a coughing fit. Like everything else, Haz-Mat whiskeys are nothing more than #DrinkCurious opportunities.

 

That brings us to Barrell Craft Spirits (BCS). If you’re unfamiliar with BCS, it does not distill; it is a blending house, and a talented one at that. One of the things I appreciate about BCS is its transparency; it usually tells you all you need to know about a given whiskey, except for where it sources its barrels. Part of that could involve Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) or other reasons. The good news is that, with experience and some detective work, it's mostly possible to nail down who the actual distillers are.

 

Today, I’m reviewing Haz Mat-Triple Rum Cask Finish. It is an American Whiskey, which is a blend of whiskeys sourced from Indiana (assumed Ross & Squibb), Tennessee (assumed Cascade Hollow), and Canada (I can’t even begin to guess). After maturation, the individual whiskeys were finished in casks that previously held Jamaican, Barbadian, and St. Lucian rums. Once the finishing cycles were completed, the whiskeys were blended and bottled at its cask strength of 142.24°.

 

So, how’s it taste? Can it be sipped neat without burning a hole in your esophagus? I’ll answer those questions and more. First, however, I must thank BCS for providing me with this opportunity in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review.

 

• Whiskey Type: American Whiskey
• Distiller: Undisclosed Indiana, Tennessee, Canadian distillers
• Age: NAS (the oldest component whiskey is 25 years)
• Mashbill: Undisclosed
• Cooperage: Undisclosed, but each whiskey was finished in either Jamaican, Barbadian, or St. Lucian Rum Casks and then blended.
• Alcohol Content: 71.12% ABV (142.24°)
• Price per 750mL: $199.00

 

Appearance: I poured the whiskey into my Glencairn glass to explore it neat. The liquid possessed a yellow-gold color; it formed a thin rim with sticky, evenly spaced droplets.

 

Nose: Given the stated proof, I decided to wait about 20 minutes before approaching my nosing experience. I smelled vanilla frosting, molasses, brown sugar, bananas, coconuts, and the slightest hint of smoke. When I pulled the aroma into my mouth, I encountered alcohol and molasses.

 

Palate: There was a soft, velvety texture that greeted my tongue. It took a few seconds for the palate shock to kick in, consisting of black pepper and clove. With the second sip, I identified molasses, brown sugar, and toasted coconut on the front of my palate. The middle included oak, ripe cherries, and caramel. Flavors of freshly-cracked black peppercorns, bold clove, and cinnamon spice were on the back of the palate.

 

Finish: It started warm and slowly ramped up to a crescendo, with clove, cinnamon, oak, and cherries. Then it fell almost at the same cadence. My tongue took the brunt of the alcohol; somehow, it missed the roof of my mouth. Per my stopwatch, the duration ran 2:26, making it very long.

 

With Water: For curiosity’s sake, I used an eyedropper to add two drops of distilled water to my glass. The nose exploded with vanilla and caramel, easily drowning out any punch of alcohol and spicier notes. The mouthfeel became thinner and somewhat oily (I had expected it to be creamier).

 

Tastes of caramel, molasses, and coconut took center stage, yet cinnamon, clove, and oak circled and tried to command attention. The water also tamed the finish, bringing in berries along with the cherries while subduing the pepper. It was far more level, too. I timed it at 2:08, reducing it only slightly.

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Poured neat, there was less of a punch than you’d assume. That’s not to say it was an effortless sipper; it carried heat – it just wasn’t an alcohol spicebomb. For a casual whiskey drinker, it may be too intense, whereas those who enjoy cask-strength American whiskeys would be fine.

 

With water, the sweeter notes became more prominent, yet the whiskey retained its spiciness. Wrestling down the alcohol was the most noticeable difference.

 

I preferred Haz-Mat Triple Rum Cask Finish neat, even with the alcohol remnants left on my tongue. It carried more character (which doesn’t always happen when you add water). Is it worth $200.00? Yeah, there’s a 25-year-old component whiskey that I assume is Canadian. I liked it; I just didn’t like it two Benjamins’ worth. In my opinion, you should try this one before committing; 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.