Barrell Gray Label Dovetail Whiskey
Barrell Gray Label Dovetail elevates what has been a core Barrell Craft Spirits (BCS) product to a new level. Following what BCS did with their Seagrass line, BCS married older, rarer Canadian whisky stocks with their tried-and-true Dovetail finishings of rum, port, and Dunn Vineyards cabernet barrels.
As with the Gray Label Seagrass, it was at first a raw power show - at 131.54 proof, how could it not be, even for me. But those finishings came out firing, and each gets a chance to shine and meet the others.
Dovetail - now on vat 11 or 12 - is a favorite of mine. Originally conceived as the first named product on the BCS line (followed by Armida and Seagrass and soon-to-be Vantage), Dovetail was an evolution from Barrel Craft Spirits Whiskey, which ran from batches 1-5.
From the beginning, Dovetail has used the same formula: Tennessee + Indiana + Kentucky whiskey finished in black strap molasses, late barreled port pipes, and Dunn Vineyard cabernet barrels. Vat after vat, certain elements may vary, but the formula remains the same. Talking to Will Shragis on Episide 36 of the Whiskey Ring Podcast, he mentioned that Dovetail is a leading brand for BCS, so much so that not exactly the same recipe (proportions of whiskies and/or finishing casks) are available each time.
And yet, the consistency has been remarkable. I’ve tried vats 3, 6, and 11, and while not 100% identical, they were easily identifiable as Dovetail and closely related. The secret might just be the Dunn Vineyard cabernet barrels, though that’s my opinion since I love the jammy punch that gives.
For the Gray Label - and to justify the 3x price increase to $249.99 - Barrell had to add something new to the mix, which came in the form of the older Canadian whisky stocks used in recent Gray Label Seagrass, Gold Label Bourbon, and Gold Label Seagrass bottlings. These barrels replaced the Kentucky barrels on the label, though there’s no telling if the proportions remained anything close to what they were.
The resulting profile and included proof bump are, to put it bluntly, fantastic. The finishes all have more to say in a louder conversation. Classic Dovetail is a perfect sipper at around 115 proof - the whiskies and the finishes meld nicely and have a solid body.
At 131.54 proof and with older whisky, the fruit, leather, red wine, and tobacco all explode on the palate rather than washing over gently. Baking spices - cinnamon in particular - pop in smaller but no less important detonations from nose to finish. There’s cinnamon raisin brioche overloaded with all of those, almost more filling than bread. Dark wine rolls through in red fruit waves, carrying French oak creaminess and just a little pepper from the same.
The port also adds red fruit, but in a darker, stewed, and sweeter form, leaving the brighter red fruits to the cabernet. The rum imparts fresh, grassy sweetness with orange and tropical citrus flavors, a different sort of brightness than the cabernet that complements it well.
Finally, the high-proof Canadian whisky added to this blend gives the backbone these finishings demand. Not that the Indiana and Tennessee whiskies aren’t present; it’s more that the (likely) corn-based whisky is well-aged, not at all oaky, and super creamy. There’s enough proof to numb my tongue for a few seconds during the finish, but there’s so much body and creaminess that once the numbness wears off I’m left with a full-mouth finish.
I find myself hoping that Barrell doesn’t produce a Gold Label Dovetail. I think the Gray Label Dovetail is exactly where it needs to be, and there are no obvious or not-so-obvious places to elevate further. If they find one, great, but until then I’ll happily purchase a bottle of this as is.
Thank you to Barrell Craft Spirits and Ro-Bro Marketing for providing this sample with no constraints.
Barrell Gray Label Dovetail Whiskey: Specs
Classification: Blended Whiskey
Origin: Undisclosed Distilleries
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Proof: 131.54 (65.77% ABV)
Age: NAS (Up to 20 Years Old)
Location: Indiana, Tennessee, Canada
Barrell Gray Label Dovetail Whiskey Price: $249.99
Barrell Gray Label Dovetail Whiskey Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Green iced tea. Barely-there rims, splotchy drops dot the glass.
Nose: Cinnamon raisin bread toasting with cinnamon butter. Baking spices galore, warm and toasted. Some grassy sweetness comes from the rum, the port asserting itself next as I back away from the glass. The flavors and scents pour out from the Glencairn.
Palate: Proof hits the front half of my tongue right away. The cabernet is powerful, swinging the first punch as the port and rum settle subtly into the corners of my mouth. As the cabernet ebbs just slightly, the rum and port move up my cheeks onto the tongue. The resulting mix is tobacco-heavy, with the port gaining depth and darkness in a plum-to-date conversion. Mouthfeel is gripping, spicy from pepper and proof, the cabernet and its French oak carving through the fray. The chew detonates a second cabernet, rum, and port explosion.
Finish: Slightly numbed at first, then the fruit and wine fill my entire palate. Rum is a fresh, citrusy backing note and the port doubles up on the whiskey’s body.
Overall: Raw power that seems unbalanced at first, then equalizes throughout the palate and chew as each finish and the whiskey underneath have their moment in the spotlight. Dark fruits and baking spices galore, leather, fruit leather, tobacco, and red wine with huge body. Delicious.
Final Rating: 7.9
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary
8 | Excellent | Exceptional
7 | Great | Well above average
6 | Very Good | Better than average
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary
4 | Has promise but needs work
1-3 | Let’s have a conversation
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