$219.99
Description
Barrell Craft Spirits, based in Louisville, Kentucky, is an independent blender and bottler of unique, aged, cask strength sourced whiskey and rum, recognized for its blending expertise. We design, produce and launch Spirits with a focus on what people want now and not what has been successful in the past. This affords us access to some of the most interesting and delicious spirits in the world.
Our goal is to select and blend products that explore different distillation methods, barrels, and aging environments, and bottle them at cask strength. Every batch is produced as a limited release and has an intentionally distinct flavor profile.
This Gray Label Whiskey began with two selections of 24-year Canadian whiskey barrels: one set was fruit-forward and tropical, and one was woody, with a light floral aroma. A portion of the fruit-forward blend was transferred into Oloroso Sherry barrels and a portion of the floral and earthy blend was transferred into Armagnac casks. The remaining whiskey from the two groups was then combined to mingle. When the timing and flavor from the finishing casks peaked, the three components were carefully blended together.
The mature, spicy whiskey is front and center, reminiscent of wheat fields edged with wildflowers. There is a rare and noteworthy concentration of aroma, enriched with a candy sweetness and leafy earthiness from the finishing casks, that calls to mind a toasty Belgian waffle.
Taste
Nose: Meticulously layered, with aromas from every stage of production, from field to distillation, to aging, to finishing. The whiskey’s floral character manifests elderflower, with maple and lavender tucked in as well. Notes of rosehip jelly and candied plum, indicative of Armagnac barrels, blend seamlessly with those of fresh, tropical fruit. The grassiness of the whiskey transitions to the nutty character of the oloroso cask. Notes of ginger, wintergreen, and pine pitch are present though the whiskey is not especially woody.
Palate: Oakier than the nose, as suggested by butterscotch, coconut milk, and root beer, nearly obscuring the Canadian whiskey’s trademark green apple brightness. There is a concentration of honeydew melon, gooseberry, and old English cider apples. Meanwhile, the earthiness expands to include olive oil, sunflower seed, and licorice root.
Finish: The spirit’s herbaceous side takes center stage, starting with tarragon, shiso, and spearmint. Spicier notes follow, among them caraway, cardamom, and fennel seeds. A marine-like minerality lingers, mostly salt with hints of weathered herbs.
Details
- Bottle Size750
- DistilleryBarrell
- StyleCanadian Whisky
- RegionNorth America
- Age24
- ABV60.82%
- Country of OriginCanada
- Cask StrengthYes
- Cask TypeArmagnac