Barrell Gray Label Release 2: 24 Year Old Canadian Whiskey

Feb 11

Barrell’s Gray Label is the second-tier - from the top, that is, falling only behind their newly created Gold Label. Gray Label releases are few and far between - a Gray Label Whiskey hadn’t been released since 2018, and that was a 25-year-old MGP finished in Sercial Madeira casks. Under the Gray Label Bourbon line, four releases have come out, along with two rums. Given how many Barrell products are released every year, including single barrels, whiskies, bourbons, and ryes, the grays are clearly meant as more than just a step above. At $249.99 a bottle, they’re priced accordingly.

This Gray Label - let’s call it the GL24 for its 24 year age statement - came out at the same time as the Gray Label Seagrass, an “upgraded” version of the popular Barrell Seagrass release from 2021 that was older and, of course, more expensive. Like the Gray Label Seagrass, the GL24 is Canadian whisky (note, no “e” in Canadian whisky as per the country’s standards, but this label carries an “e” so we’ll use that from now on.)

As my friend Mike points out in his excellent writeup at The Bourbon Culture, this isn’t from Barrell’s usual Canadian sources, namely the Valleyfield or Alberta Distilleries. Instead, this is from the Black Velvet Distillery, close to Alberta but very much separate. Black Velvet Distillery and its brands were recently bought by Heaven Hill, indicating that these barrels were likely sold shortly before the purchase (thank you, Mike, for doing the leg work on that one!).

Then again, after writing this, I got to talk to Will Schragis at Barrell and asked him directly about the source. While he admitted he couldn’t say what was “on the paperwork” for the whiskey, he did say a whiskey that comes to Barrell isn’t always coming directly to them. For example: let’s assume for the sake of argument that the Black Velvet Distillery was where this whiskey was originally distilled. In between then and when Barrell acquired it, the liquid could have been vatted, batched, and bought multiple times, meaning the through-line is not as simple as Point A -> Point B. Mike’s logic is sound, but it’s a logic based on the Point A -> Point B assumption, so I have to then assume that wasn’t the case for this whiskey.

Canadian whiskey, being completely honest, doesn’t usually hold much interest for me. It’s not that it’s bad, I just find it boring, a blend for blend’s sake rather than for putting out a superior product. It pains me to say this knowing the caliber of the people running these distilleries, but that’s my honest opinion. The few really great Canadian whiskies I’ve had have either been finished or aged in the US. One example is Hochstadter’s 16 Year Old Rye, which is Canadian but aged in the US in a new charred American oak barrel. If it’s Canadian whiskey without anything done to it, I find myself wanting more.

With all this in mind, I have to say I’m floored at how good this bottle is. In fairness, it is finished in multiple ways and is highly aged (24 years), but the base whiskey isn’t overpowered. I’ve written similar lines before, but it bears repeating here: whether or not I like a Barrell product, it’s very rare for me not to be impressed by the blending skills. This is a chance for me to wax poetic about their finishing skills, too.

Oloroso sherry and armagnac are both powerful finishes in their own right, and either could easily overpower even the strongest-flavored base whiskey. Oloroso will impart red fruit, baking spices, maybe even some dark chocolate undertones, without being overly sweet. Armagnac will add a vinous, fortified wine-like influence and some dusty pomace notes, also without being overly sweet. They’re both excellent choices for finishing whiskies, and after some thought I realized they were a perfect pairing as long as the whiskey itself wasn’t over-finished. Neither would add much sweetness, if any, but both could add significant mouthfeel, texture, and finish.

Barrell delivered in spades, and the result is some tasty, balanced, well-finished whiskey. Both finishing casks are apparent and restrained, as if Barrell’s blenders knew exactly for how long to finish this. The Canadian whiskey is never lost, behaving more like an American corn whiskey if anything, with corn-forward simplicity and a buttery quality. Keeping the quality piece in mind, it’s hard to argue with the price tag. Keeping with the non-US whiskey measure of ~$10 per year, this is right on the target line plus the finishing casks. Not that the casks were necessarily expensive, but it does add cost - if this were mizunara-finished, it could be twice as expensive with exactly the same stats.

I’m not rushing to buy a bottle, if only because I’ve got plenty, but I highly encourage people to try this and would go so far as to say this is a worthwhile bottle to risk $250 on if you answer yes to either of these questions: would you buy another whiskey at 24 years old for this price, and do you enjoy oloroso and/or armagnac finishes? Or, to put it another way, other Barrell Gray Label releases have been younger by a decade or more with various finishings and blends at the same price. If those were too expensive for the stats, I’d understand that 100%. For a 24-year-old whiskey - yes, even a Canadian one - $250 is not an unreasonable price on its face. Add in the quality and craftsmanship shown, and it’s a bargain for those with $250 in their pocket.

I don’t say this about high-priced whiskies often, but I will say it here: the price is worth it. If you don’t believe me, try it - I’ll wait.

Barrell Gray Label Release 2: 24 Year Old Canadian Whiskey: Specs

Classification: Canadian Whiskey

Origin: Black Velvet Distillery

Mashbill: 51% Wheat, 37% Corn, 12% Malted Barley

Proof: 121.64 (60.82% ABV)

Age: 24 Years Old

Location: Distilled and Aged in Canada, Blended and Finished in Kentucky

Barrell Gray Label Release 2: 24 Year Old Canadian Whiskey Price: $249.99

Official Website

Barrell Gray Label Release 2: 24 Year Old Canadian Whiskey Review: Tasting Notes

Eye: Fresh, pale apple juice. Barely any rims but the droplets are huge.

Nose: Earl Grey tea leads the party - that’s an unusual flavor! Dusty grape. Proof takes a close sniff to open, but the tannins build a bit more obviously. The oloroso is remarkably restrained, allowing the base whiskey’s buttery corn and the fresh grape of the armagnac to come through.

Palate: The armagnac hits first and holds on for a few long seconds - grape must plus a solid proof bang on the tip of my tongue. Velvety with hints of orange, dark red grape, and spices from the oloroso. Mouthfeel is creamy and butery, a pleasant peppery burn cascades through as the armagnac adds dark chocolate and almond bark. Dried cherries in dark chocolate, too.

Finish: Medium-to-long, lots of dark chocolate and dried fruit without turning bitter. The oloroso and armagnac remain restrained and pair together harmoniously through the end.

Overall: For 120 proof this is incredibly subtle, restrained, and elegant. Doesn’t taste too old or too oaked and neither of the potentially powerful finishes are overused. All the flavors harmonize beautifully and the underlying whiskey is never lost.

Final Rating: 8.0

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 | Has promise but needs work

1-3 | Let’s have a conversation