Barrell Whiskey Single Barrel: Joe’s Playlist Track 5 - “Butter Cake”

Barrell Whiskey Single Barrel: Joe’s Playlist Track 5 - “Butter Cake"

Mash & Grape Private Selection

Kentucky Straight Whiskey, 18 YO

58.61% ABV/117.22 Proof

Barrell A136, Bottle 130

Eye: Liquid gold. Thin rim and syrupy legs. 

Nose: Citrus and sugar. This does actually smell like a butter cake at first! Vanilla pound cake, glacee cherries and cream. 

Palate: The vanilla pound cake takes a complex turn into Jaffa cakes - chocolate and orange zest burst through the palate riding a very pleasant heat. Mouthfeel is buttery with some oak astringency (not surprising after 18 years!).

Finish: Light, zesty, and orange-y. Buttery but light. 

Overall: This certainly lives up to its name in every way - buttery cakes with all the accouterments one would like. Given the profile, I’m not sure where this would be sourced from…Barton, perhaps? There is no nuttiness that would suggest Beam or Heaven Hill. Plus, since it’s not a bourbon, I would tend to guess four grain with a corn > wheat > rye > malt mashbill. Ultimately, who knows - it’s just damn good.

Rating: 7.9

10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)

9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)

8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, 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)