Barrell Bourbon Single Barrel #5D57 (Total Wine)

Pick by Davidson County ABC; Named "Hickory Tree Series No. 12" Barrel No. ZIHO Age 7 years 60.76% abv; 121.52 proof Open 2 weeks Nose - Sweet corn and cereal mash, honey roasted peanuts, peanut brittle, maraschino cherry, orange peel, caramel, butterscotch, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, toasted marshmallow, light oak, and medium ethanol. Palate - Peanut brittle, salted peanut shells, buttery grilled corn, mineral water, classic bubble gum, grilled peaches, cherries, black pepper, toasted oak, and rye-heavy baking spices. Finish is medium-long with clove, nutmeg, vanilla bean, peanuts, black pepper, oak tannins, and medium ethanol. Initially I would've scored this a 2.75, but I've never changed my mind on a bourbon this quickly. I wanted to buy something special for my birthday that I don't normally buy, but also wouldn't be a disappointment. My first choice was a Booker's, which is a little too pricey to buy regularly but is something I know has a high floor. Surprisingly 3 stores didn't have it, so I settled on this Barrell pick from one of the best ABC stores in NC. They have a great selection and do a lot of store picks that get favorable reviews. When I opened this Barrell SiB I was very disappointed. I thought it was a close cousin to the overrated Noah's Mill for double the price with similar sour mash/corn notes. I was disappointed enough that I bought a Wild Turkey Rare Breed 3 days later on my birthday because I knew that would never let me down. But then the sour notes from this Barrell began to wear off and resemble a really fantastic high rye bourbon from MGP combined with the sweet corn flavors from Wilderness Trail. The best indicator of the quality of this bottle is how damn drinkable it is. I've been reaching for this over almost everything on my shelf during the last 2 weeks of watching college basketball. I do not taste the proof at all. If it wasn't $100 I would definitely try more Barrell SiBs. These are flavors I don't get from most of my bourbon purchases.

Bull City Bourbon Club pick, "Berry Garcia" Barrel No. Z554 MGP low rye mashbill: 75 corn / 21 rye / 4 malted barley Age - 8 years and 9 months 55.52% abv; 111.04 proof Open 2 months Nose - Berries and cream hard candy, candy bar nougat, raspberry chocolate cheesecake, cheap maraschino cherries, corn dust, nutmeg, toasted oak, and medium ethanol. Palate - Artificial cherry, chalky dried berries, old fashioned berry hard candy, Corn Pops, oats, and hay. Finish is medium-long with heavy minerality, chalky dried berries, cornmeal, flower petal tea, white pepper, light oak, and medium ethanol. This is our second Barrell pick of the summer. It starts really strong with an overwhelming berries and cream nose that could be attributed to any number of candies or desserts. But, the palate is overwhelmingly chalky and dusty. If I didn't know this was MGP, I would've automatically guessed it was a lesser sourced Barton product based on the artificial fruity cereal vibe. It's the same flavor profile I get in Three Chord, Yellowstone, and some 1792 products, and it's not always pleasant because it can easily veer into chalky minerals with hints of fruit and corn. I apologize to my club admins because this is my least favorite Barrell product I've had. It's good, but for $100 it's underwhelming.

Barrel: Z5S4 Bottle: 136 Age: 8 years 9 months Proof: 111.04 BCBC Club “Berry Garcia” Nose: major fruit bomb. Very light on the nose too. Not super rich. Palate: oily and fruity. Some spice coming through but drinks nicely for 111 proof. Finish: short and spicy. Overall: pretty good. I like most barrell bourbon products. Worth $90? Not really but it’s definitely way better than others I’ve paid more for

Second taste. More tobacco. All I get is earth and tobacco, followed by minimal burn at the end. Definitely not like some of the Barrell batches I have. This is a 14yr pick. Not really a fan of this single barrel.

Vanilla, cherry, leather and a chocolate oak finish. Biscuits, vanilla and honey on the nose. F***** amazing. Bourbon Street Wine & Spirits selection. Batch #600

First pour so will give it some time. Getting strong hints of tobacco in this bottle. More to come.