Branch & Barrel Batch 35 "Mitch's Batch" Bourbon Review

 

Courtesy of Branch & Barrel Distilling

There are true craft distilleries out there that are hyperfocused on innovation. One such distillery is Branch & Barrel Distilling, located in a nondescript building in Centennial, Colorado. It is run by a group of people with a What-If-We-Did attitude.

 

Branch & Barrel purchased food-grade equipment at auctions across the country to make their distilling and fermenting equipment. For example, the first “real” still was a former Campbell’s Soup maker. They used it exclusively until 2017, when it basically fell apart. That led to the purchase of an 800-gallon combination still, which they call Rosalinda, named for two women (Rosa and Linda) who were very dear to the team. Growth required a second still, which is named Delta (meaning change). They’ve upcycled stainless steel condiment makers, water plant tanks, petroleum vessels, and other, seemingly random, non-distilling equipment.

 

The team is self-taught, mostly through trial and error, and has learned what works and what doesn’t, allowing them to remain unafraid to do what nobody else has (or at least not successfully). They are big on transparency, as with many whiskey aficionados, the marketing-speak didn’t sit well with them.

 

That brings us to Master Blender Mitch “The Thumb” Nester. Like everyone else at Branch & Barrel, he stumbled into the job and is self-taught. His moniker was a humorous tip of the hat to Nancy Fraley (known throughout the whiskey world as “The Nose”).

 

All of the grains Branch & Barrel uses are grown on Colorado farms: corn from Wiggins and barley, rye, and wheat from Monte Vista. Even the water comes from their own well in nearby Elizabeth, and all the spirits are made using a sweet mash method, which means there’s no backset, so every batch is unique. Finally, every Branch & Barrel whiskey has an entry proof of 52% ABV (104°). That’s extremely unusual in today’s distilling environment. Generally speaking, it leads to a softer, more well-rounded texture. Because there is more water in each barrel, there is less interaction between the alcohol and the wood, resulting in sweeter profiles.

 

Earlier this year, I reviewed Batch 34 of the distillery’s Flagship Bourbon. It was awesome. So, when Batch 35 was announced, I was interested. Then, Mitch said this:

 

“I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is our best batch yet. Batch 35 is exceptionally smooth and well-rounded, reflecting both the maturity of our program and the quality of locally-sourced ingredients.”

 

Currently, Branch & Barrel’s products are distributed at its tasting room and throughout Colorado. Their website has a store locator.

 

Branch & Barrel Distilling was kind enough to send me a sample of Batch 35, a/k/a “Mitch’s Blend,” in exchange for my no-strings-attached, honest review. Let’s #DrinkCurious and see if this one surpasses Batch 34!

 

• Whiskey Type: Colorado Straight Bourbon
• Distiller: Branch & Barrel Distilling
• Age: 5 years
• Mashbill: 80% corn, 20% malted barley
• Cooperage: New, 53-gallon #3 char, medium-toasted oak barrels
• Alcohol Content: 46% ABV (92°)
• Price per 750mL: $52.99
• Non-Chill Filtered

 

Appearance: I used a Glencairn glass to explore this Bourbon neat. It had a true amber appearance; the liquid produced a bold rim with thick, slow, crazed tears.

 

Nose: While waiting the cursory 15 minutes for Batch 35 to breathe, my whiskey library was filled with the fragrance of honey and vanilla. Once I was more deliberate with the olfactory impact, I smelled honey, malt, strawberries, vanilla cream, and what I swear is a cheese danish. Taking a breath of vapor through my lips, I discovered apple strudel.  

 

Palate: My first sip suggested a silky, medium-weight mouthfeel with an attention-getting smack of allspice. The next revealed notes of roasted almonds, semi-sweet chocolate, and buttermilk biscuits on the front of my palate. At my mid-palate, I tasted honey, dried strawberries, and older leather. The back included flavors of oak, allspice, and potent clove.

 

Finish: Batch 35’s finish featured clove, honey, toffee, semi-sweet chocolate, hazelnuts, and arid oak. As time progressed, the moisture was sucked from my mouth, and I caught myself wiggling my tongue back and forth to generate saliva. It wasn’t hot, yet a few beads of sweat formed on my forehead. The incredibly long duration ran 2:12.  

 

Bottle, Bar, or Bust: Firstly, I’ve never referred to a cheese danish in a review until now. But that was the first thing that hit me, and I may have convinced myself that’s what it was as I kept exploring the nose.

 

Secondly, since Mitch said this is the best batch yet, I wanted to compare it to Batch 34, which I loved so much. I poured some into a Wee Glencairn and allowed it to rest. Batch 35 had a softer aroma. Batch 34 had far more prominent chocolatey notes on the palate; its finish was about half as long as Mitch’s Blend.

 

I then did the unthinkable. I had equal amounts left in each glass, so I blended them. The nose exploded with the aromas of pastries and fruits such as cherries, strawberries, and raisins. The texture was creamy, and the palate became sweet with notes of vanilla, toffee, milk chocolate, and honey. Spice remained, albeit subdued as compared to the intensity of Batch 35.

 

So, what’s my rating? I very much enjoyed Mitch’s Blend. It is a well-balanced adventure between sweet and spice. I loved the finish - dryness and all. It earns my Bottle rating.

 

Mitch, if you’re reading this, try blending the two batches. I enjoyed that even more. 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.