K&L Exclusive: Kentucky Bourbon Trio from Barrell Craft Spirits – American Whiskey News
K&L Exclusive Casks: Barrell Craft Spirits Is Better Than Ever
A trio of hand-selected, one-of-a-kind Kentucky bourbons…
The spirits team continues to knock our socks off with the acquisition of not one, not two, but three new K&L Exclusive Casks from Barrell Craft Spirits. The trio of cask-strength Kentucky bourbons in this set are proof positive of 1) Barrell’s benchmark excellence in every step of their work; and 2) the utterly thrilling character of young bourbon when it’s done right. A pair of hand-selected 8-Year-Olds showcase the personal touch we bring to our Exclusive Cask program with single barrels chosen by K&L staff members Illya Haase and Will Blakely, respectively. Will describes his barrel as “delicate and complex with a finish that lasts for days—everything I want in a bourbon,” while Illya’s selection “has that perfect balance of heat, spice, and power.” Rounding out the trifecta, the 6-Year-Old Triple Cherry wowed our entire team as an example of how single-cask bourbon can offer both insane complexity and value at the same time. The verdict is in—Barrell is better than ever.
K&L Notes: The exceptional blenders at Barrell have proven time and time again that they can make distinctive whiskies by finishing and blending various stocks. But sometimes you don’t need to add or change anything to create an exceptional bourbon. So few distillers in Kentucky are willing to bottle at cask strength that we jumped at the chance when Barrell offered us real Kentucky bourbon at full strength. Of course, the sources are hidden, but it almost doesn’t matter where it’s distilled in Kentucky. Everyone is making exceptional juice, and when you’re able to be picky you come across gems like this. We went through a few sets of samples to find this exceptional 6 Year. Most will look at the lower age and jump on the two 8 Year barrels we have, which are exceptional in their own right, but no barrel of whiskey we bottle this year is going to match this ridiculously delish cask for its pungency and balance. Another example of how Kentucky bourbon need not be old to be superlative.
Austin Jenkins | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 10, 2022
The youngest out of our currently available Barrel Craft line-up, but wow is it expressive! Fragrant on the nose with hints of cherry (as per the name) and a more than healthy amount of vanilla—119.9 proof (PHEW!), so it’s a bit hot! Enjoy this with a drop of water and watch its profile blossom. Baking spice heavy with touches of stone fruit and vanilla, all brought back together by a beautiful, short finish.
Will Blakely | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 28, 2022
We are, as always, excited and delighted to share these exceptional single-barrel releases from Barrell Craft Spirits. Age-stated Kentucky bourbon has grown increasingly rare, and to have these single barrels bottled at full proof from Kentucky rather than Indiana or Tennessee is a rarer treat still. Even at 6 years old, the youngest of our lineup, this shows tremendous depth. Viscous in the glass from its nearly 60% alcohol, it brims with lively aromas of cherry, nectarine, wood, and a touch of grass. On the palate, it displays all the hallmarks of young, high-quality spirit, with ample fruit and a wealth of vanilla and spice, rounded out by subtle chamomile. It remains fresh and mildly sweet without once feeling hot or overblown. A touch of water amps up the spice and brings out the more savory character here, highlighting the cinnamon spice and bringing up whiffs of dark cocoa and coconut husk. Truly though, it doesn’t need any adulteration; it’s vibrant and exciting right out of the gate, incredibly approachable and easy to drink despite its impressive strength.
K&L Notes: This wonderful barrel of 8-year-old Kentucky bourbon was selected by K&L’s Los Angeles Spirits Specialist, Will Blakely. The fact that it’s aged so long and bottled at cask strength makes it unique and special enough, but the complexity and character of the cask cannot be overstated. Distilled on September 26th, 2013 at an unknown distillery from an unknown mashbill. The fact that the mashbill cannot be given away is a clue to the origin of this bourbon as several distillers use similar mashbills. In any case, what we do know is that this is a proper Kentucky bourbon distilled with rye as the small grain in the mashbill. The barrel numbering system indicates from when and where in their warehouse they came, so each of these new barrels could be from a different source. This one is particularly powerful and rich. Best for those that love to chew their bourbon before they swallow it! A short barrel with tons of woody influence, it doesn’t stray into the astringent or bitter and remains balanced and lifted in spite of its age and oak driven character.
Will Blakely | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 28, 2022
It seems everyone these days is shopping for the same big-name bourbons, all unattainable due to supply or pricing. But if you venture just off the path beaten by every review site touting the latest branded release from big, multi-national distilleries, you can find gems like these Kentucky picks from Barrell Craft Spirits. We don’t know exactly from where they sourced these, but I believe any one of them can easily go toe-to-toe with the best in a blind tasting. As you may have guessed from the description, I am particularly fond of this specific barrel and demanded we bring it in for one of our store selections. Delicate and complex with a finish that lasts for days—everything I want in a bourbon. Cherries, chocolate, citrus, and spice achieve perfect balance, held together by burnt turbinado sugar. The focus shifts quickly from sweet to nutty to oaky and back again, with a floral character lurking like a specter in the background. It’s truly gorgeous as is, but a splash of water brightens the aromatics, providing lift and bringing citrus and vanilla to the forefront. The palate softens as well, broadening a bit and letting almond roca and candied citrus have their turn in the spotlight. It changes with each sip and keeps me coming back for more. I can’t get enough of this stuff, and I think a lot of people out there will feel the same way. This barrel filled significantly fewer bottles than the other two, so make sure to pick this one up before supplies run out.
K&L Notes: From a set of three amazing casks of Kentucky bourbon that we selected, this 8-year was sourced from an undisclosed distillery and selected by LA Store Manager Illya Haase. The unknown mashbill included rye as the small grain, but little else is known about the source. It was distilled on September 26th, 2013 and bottled in December of 2021 just a few months after turning 8 years old. Very few of the single casks we have to offer make it to this age, fewer still from Kentucky, and and almost none at cask strength. That makes this barrel and its two siblings some of the rarest and most special bourbons we have the great pleasure of offering. Expect a big spicy style here, we know Illya loves a bourbon that gives you that Kentucky hug. Long, rich, and complex, finding a more satisfying experience in American whiskey is a difficult task when barrels like this are around.
Illya Haase | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 02, 2022
Mystery bottle? Sometimes, they just won’t tell you where the juice comes from. What I do know is it’s damn great! Cask Strength, check. 124 bottles produced, check. Eight years, check. And 116.74 proof—yum! Old Ills has that perfect balance of heat, spice, and power. The first thing you notice when tasting Old Ills are the rich aromas of brown sugar, clove, and vanilla with a spearmint punch. On the palate, it brings together clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and oak wood flavors with just enough sweetness to make them inviting without being overwhelming. Each sip is like a wonderful, warming glow that wraps around you like that old flannel shirt. You know, that one your wife is begging you to get rid of. The finish is long and complex. It lingers on the tongue as the oak flavor rises and leaves you eager to take another sip.
Will Blakely | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 28, 2022
Like its namesake, this barrel is classic Kentucky, born and bred. Gooey caramel oozes out of the glass carrying banana nut and a whiff of hay. The palate is rich and dense, with sticky dark sugar enveloping tons of cinnamon spice, praline and macadamia nut. A quality here reminds me of well-aged brandy, where the savory wood tones attain perfect balance with the sweetness of the spirit. Though it drinks beautifully straight out of the bottle, I particularly enjoyed how this evolved with a couple of drops of water. The aromatics explode from the glass, revealing singed orange peel, clove, toasted vanilla and chocolate covered cherries. Even after cutting the proof slightly, it retains that voluptuous mouthfeel and intense spice. This should find a broad fanbase among bourbon aficionados, especially those who seek out bold flavors and a wood-driven finish.
Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 10, 2022
Very good and very interesting. The nose has a subtle and delicate sweetness. In the mouth it is very complex, full-bodied and concentrated with a nice richness. There are wonderful secondary floral flavors that help make this a special treat. With a touch of water more sweetness comes up.
