Barrell Bourbon Batch 030

Attended a tasting event last night. I fought for a spot in it since it is limited to 20 guests. Had to get on a waitlist and got lucky as someone cancelled. The reason I wanted to go so badly is I have heard so many great things about Barrell and I dearly love Batch 29 which I have reviewed already. Also I have been wanting to try Seagrass as well as I had heard how unique it is! IT IS unique! Final and most important reason I wanted to go so badly is they discounted the price on all the tasting offerings for those in attendance. I snagged my beloved Batch 29 holding off on Seagrass but will add that to collection later. So to focus on Batch 30... Appearance: Oily and leggy. Nose: Sweet, creamy, nutty comes up front. after a bit of a sit some cinnamon, caramel and orange peel show up. Flavor: saddle leather, oak, mellow and not too much heated spice, Some ginger, cardamon and cinnamon but subtle. With a drop of water the sweetness comes out into a tropical mixed fruit but no one fruit takes front and center. It is like a tropical mixed fruit cup in natural juices. Then once you think it has finished evolving a nutty amaretto presents itself with cremini mushroom and orange liquor! Finish: Fig and fruit leather. Overall a wonderful absolutely great bourbon. One that many would love in their collection. I prefer the batch 29 personally so grabbed that one instead. They are bot solid bourbons but I can't have them all, not at once anyway. The problem is you gotta get them while you can as these are one run only bourbons! Barreel is a craft bourbon brand although they do have a couple others that are always available (Seagrass and Dovetail) their batch number bourbons are not. Ratings have nothing to do with cost - just my impressions.

NOSE Fruit, cereal grain sweet, oak, baking spice, vanilla, lemon heads, slight hoppy herbaceousness. This has to be the most unique Barrell Bourbon I’ve smelled yet. It’s not their typical oak-driven beast of whiskey, more light, herbal, fruity, candy sweet and almost floral. PALATE Dark candy sweetness, fruity sweetness, cereal grain sweetness, oak, caramel cupckes, vanilla, candied citrus and some earthy hay undertones. Like the aroma, this is unique and atypical for Barrell and I need a minute to really process this. FINISH Medium-long -> Candy and cereal sweetness and spice fades to oaky dark sweets.

Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Vanilla, caramel, and a touch of honey. Palate: Cinnamon red hots, baking spice, clove. Finish: Long length with plenty of heat. Splash: Some oak tannins appear. Overall: 8/10 - This was a neck pour, so it may open up over time. It’s pretty much what I expect from a Barrell batch - high proof with a little bit of oak. This would definitely hold up in a cocktail, but the price is a bit too high for it to be a mixer.

Aroma- my goodness. This aroma is tremendous and the complexity is outstanding. Every time it’s a new element. Up front sweet notes of caramel, vanilla, orange peel, banana bread. Rye, cinnamon oak also make their presence known. Taste- complexity shines through here again. Deep tones of sweet vanilla, caramel. Cloves, red hots, fruit is present.. maybe peach or apricot? Just a damn good beverage.

Interestingly, the nose immediately brings me back to my youth, Cap 'N Crunch with Crunch Berries. The palate is very much like a dark cocktail cherry with a nice pepper bite on the perimeter of my tongue. The finish turns toward cherry flavored cough syrup. Probably too sweet and one note for my liking. I'm thinking this will see use in whiskey sours.

Color — almost an amber, but slightly darker. Nose is pure vanilla first, then some burnt sugar and rye spice. Taste — vanilla, caramel, some citrus and a significant drying element — lot of oak really. Finish: medium. A nice Kentucky hug. There’s a drying, oaky element in the finish.