Barrell Bourbon Batch 30
Barrell Bourbon Batch 30 Bottle. Image credit: Barrell Craft Spirits.
Barrell Bourbon hits the big 3-0! It’s kind of impressive - Joe and Tripp don’t rest on laurels, that’s for sure. Good thing I’ve got a sweet hookup for Barrell releases (you know who you are - thanks buddy!)
For this release (and possibly others - honestly hard to keep track) Barrell chose from Indiana and Tennessee bourbons between five and fifteen years old, let those mingle, then added a wheated bourbon into the mix. From Barrell’s site:
“Barrell Bourbon Batch 030 began with a group of tropical fruit forward 5-year-old Indiana barrels, a group of stone fruit forward 10-year-old high-rye Tennessee barrels, and a group of nutty 6, 9, 11, and 15-year-old barrels. After mingling separately for a month, they were carefully blended together. Finally, wheated bourbon from Kentucky and Wyoming was added to enhance the complexity of the blend.”
The source of the Indiana, Tennessee, and Wyoming bourbons are obvious, though I’m curious where the Kentucky wheated bourbon is from (likely Barton, but there are enough options to keep this unknown). The Wyoming wheated bourbon has to come from Wyoming Whiskey, the only distillery in WY with enough capacity and aged stock to contribute the barrels required. I’ve only tried one Wyoming Whiskey product - the Outryder - and I found it kind of meh. Wasn’t bad, just nothing to write a review about…immediately, at least.
If any shop has shown they can handle a multitude of flavors, though, it’s the team at Barrell. So how did this one come out?
Overall, it was just over my “great” threshold. A well-done blend as usual, with a few rough edges but nothing overtly off. For me, the only issue, if it could be called that, was that it drank hot. At 117.32 proof, it wasn’t going to go down quietly, but it felt more like 130 proof or so during the blind tasting. The proof heat covered the nose, palate, and finish, leading me to believe that there wasn’t much proofing down during the blending process. I don’t mind a heater - I’m a proof hound and proud of it - but the heat felt like it grabbed my tongue in a hard fist and wouldn’t let go.
Other than that, the blend showcased a wonderfully viscous mouthfeel, a fruitiness I feel has become Barrell’s preferred profile for this line, and a lengthy finish. At times, the flavors were too numerous and fought each other, but if you can stand the heat I think you’ll enjoy the fight.
Barrell Bourbon Batch 30 Whiskey: Specs
Classification: A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies
Origin: Multiple Distilleries
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Proof: 117.32 (58.66% ABV)
Age: 5-15 Years Old
Location: Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, and Wyoming
Barrell Bourbon Batch 30 Whiskey Price: $84.99
Barrell Bourbon Batch 30 Whiskey Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Bronzed honey. Barely-there rims and barely-there drops.
Nose: Lots of proof up front, some red fruit - cherries and dark plums - behind the curtain. Lightly roasted blanched almonds.
Palate: Slow-building front palate of proof and pepper heat. Wow…that really turns hot quickly. Much clearer red fruit notes behind the heat, joined by blood orange and creamy oak. Mouthfeel is medium-bodied and creamy, silky and oily without being coating. Proof grabs the tongue and won’t let go, opening some black tea.
Finish: Red fruits make a valiant last stand, with that creamy oak hanging on with all its might on a lengthy finish.
Overall: Great mouthfeel and creamy red fruits, though the flavors fight each other at times with so much going on. The lingering fruitiness is pleasant and the longest-lasting flavor.
Final Rating: 7.1
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Old Label Batch 4 or 2, Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)
8 | Excellent | Exceptional (Stagg Jr. Batch 10, Highland Park Single Barrels)
7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)
6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)
4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)
3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)
2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)
1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)
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