Barrell Vantage

Full disclosure: my experience with Barrell products is limited to Seagrass and Vantage. I’ve never had the regular bourbon. However, with that out of the way, my experience with those two whiskies reminds me of that band that everyone else loves that I can recognize is talented but for some reason, they just don’t hit me the same way they do other people. Or it’s like that critically acclaimed film that I recognize is taking on an important issue and is beautifully shot, but it just kind of leaves me cold, like doesn’t touch me in an emotional way. To some extent my problem is also what I like about it: the proof. These are robust and tasty whiskies underneath some strong alcoholic fumes. You know how some barrel proof whiskies don’t come off as drinking their proof. In both cases, Barrell’s nose definitely reflects that. Which means after you pour, you absolutely have to let it sit for a while to let them cool off, waft away. You can, of course, dive straight in because I’m not seeing that it makes much difference on the palate, but with the nose, I’m getting little initially aside from the fumes and some muskiness, some dustiness, some earthiness. As I nose this one, the Barrell Vantage, more, I’m getting nuttiness but it’s not a clearly defined nut, such as almonds, but a more general nuttiness. The nose, once the ethanol dissipates, is largely fruity and sweet, more along the dried apricots and orange marmalade vein. This carries through to the palate which is also tart and oaky and strong. Even with time in the glass, the spicy punch in the face remains and it’s a nice punch. It’s not bitter or biting so much as just the kind of hot where you showed up at a Indian restaurant and they didn’t alter the spice ratings for an American palate, and you don’t want to show that the heat is bothering you, so you drink like ten glasses of water while you’re eating your curry just to survive the night. Thing is, I’ll share a secret: I love that. I love spicy and I love the flavors that come with the heat, so I’m that guy in the corner of the restaurant with sweat dripping down my forehead and the waiters laughing at my ass like they just played a big joke on me. As I go along, the tartness does take on a cherry quality, and there’s even a mintiness in the finish on the back end, but again, the finish is also hot. I’m not sure if what I’m describing here sounds good or not, but I have a bottle of Blue Run High Rye Bourbon open, and this is better than that. I also have a bottle of Larcey Barrel Proof A122 open and this ISN’T as good as that. It is, however, a unique experience, much as the Seagrass was, so again, my hat is off to Barrell as this is a quality product, and I’m open to the experience they provide in the future despite the odd fact that they never seem to give me as much pleasure as they give others. To that end, actually, I think the appropriate simile is they’re like a modern hip-hop act. You can stop reading now if you dislike rap. But I came up in the 90s when rap produced bangers. Wu-Tang records. Rawkus. There was a lot of hard-hitting stuff that made you bob your head. You just felt hard when you put it on your headphones and walked down the street, even if you were a white boy from the suburbs. It was difficult not to walk down the street playing Onyx’s Bacdafucup without a strut in your step. Nowadays, people are like, have you checked out the new Earl Sweatshirt, and I give it a listen, and I’m like, it’s a sad kid in his bedroom with protools mumbling his diary entries over a synthetic beat. I mean, there’s obvious talent there, but I don’t want a sad kid in his bedroom with protools mumbling diary entries. I want “Poisonous paragraphs smash the phonograph in half it be the Inspectah Deck on the warpath.” And that’s kind of how I feel about Barrell. Barrell is the sad rapper mumbling diary entries over protools in his bedroom. It’s not really what I’m looking for when I want a bourbon, but I’ll give it a spin if it’s what you’re offering up these days. And I'll give it some thought and take it seriously, but in the end, if you've got Larceny, I'd much prefer that. Yeah, I know that one took a turn there at the end that you didn’t see coming.

The nose starts with a mix of orange creamsicle, charred pineapple, sandalwood and leather then light florals along with roasted macadamia nuts and cocoa nibs followed by anise spiced baked pears, cherries jubilee and chalk candy that transitions to spearmint, light baking spices, pipe tobacco and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The taste is a medium mouthfeel starting with creamy orchard fruit, charred pineapple, sandalwood and leather then a moderate spice that slowly fades to light florals along with toasted marshmallow and espresso followed by anise spiced baked pears, maraschino cherries and chalky orange sports drink that transitions to spearmint, light baking spices, pipe tobacco and polished oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with chalky orange sports drink, cherry cough drops, sandalwood, toasted marshmallow, espresso, spearmint and polished oak. This is a delightful and unique bourbon that the finishing in Mizunara, French, and toasted American oak casks has added some toasted flavors along with light florals and sandalwood that works in balance of those traditional bourbon flavors without one overpowering the other and is far less oaky than I feared. There are some minor sour elements to it that detract from the experience along with a higher bitter spice than I prefer on the taste, but overall, it’s a really fun creation from Barrell and one I’d be happy to drink anytime. At the price tag of $90 around me, I think this is priced fairly and worthy of a purchase for anyone that’s looking to try a different take on the traditional bourbon profile.

Nose starts off both fruity and nutty with apple, macadamia nut, cola nut, raspberry, sour grape, tart cherry, light vanilla, pancake batter, nutmeg, and pine. Ethanol is low given the proof. Really delightful. Palate is super bright and brassy with peach, ginger, fig, honey, clove, apricot, and cedar. Those things all sound delicious, but there is a bit of disharmony to the overall profile and it just doesn’t come together as well as I’d hoped for. Finish features toffee, cinnamon, more ginger, and toasted oak and is fairly short. Mouthfeel is thin bodied and acidic which does this whiskey no favors. A unique whiskey for sure, but this one kind of misses the mark for me. A little unnecessary sharpness here, a little extra bite there; I feel this could have been great but alas, it’s just not. I see what they are/were going for an applaud the effort, but at 79.99 it just didn’t tickle my fancy enough to warrant a rebuy.

A complex, Blended Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey by Barrell Craft Spirits; that is distilled in Indiana, Tennessee & Kentucky; then finished in virgin Mizunara, French & toasted American oak barrels; before being crafted & bottled in Kentucky at 57.22% ABV. It has an aromatic birth with notes of grain, wood, fruit, herbs & spices; while a complex & oily life adds notes of espresso, oak tannins, maple syrup, grilled pineapple, Creme brûlée, coconut oil, Tarragon, nutmeg & warm cola; that leads to a herbal death with notes of Ricola cough drops & hot (spicy) peppermint candy canes that have gone stale, hints of green grapes, red plum, Za’atar, crystallized ginger & Szechuan peppercorns. September 2022

Nose is floral and vanilla, nuts and apricot, leather and sawdust against a toasty barrel backdrop. Burst of honey on the tongue with summery fruit, golden raisins, dried cherries, peanuts, graham cracker, oak, cedar/sandalwood and cinnamon—all in a very smooth package. Some cocoa shows up too. For some reason, after drinking this multiple times I still can’t find all the “tart” notes from the expert review. Finish is long and toasty with toffee and a hint of spearmint or oregano, a savory note that isn’t front and center during the sip. Stops short of a creme brulee finish for me but i can see why some would say that. Very good and well balanced with plenty going on.

113.54 proof Glass: Glencairn, rested 15 minutes. Color: Medium amber. Nose: Floral with some sweet fruit and mild vanilla notes. Palate: Lots of different spices but not overly hot. Finish: Long length with medium heat. Splash: Clove and baking spice notes become more prominent. Overall: 9.5/10 - I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by the long finish on a 113.54 proof bourbon, but this finish just won’t quit. The interesting mix of spices in the palate and with a splash of water grab my attention as well. This is one of the most unexpected bourbons of the year, and something that stands out from the crowd without being $200 MSRP. At $85, this is a bargain.