Barrell Bourbon Cask 31

Barrell Bourbon Batch 031 is a blend of 6, 7, 10, 15 and 16-year-old barrels. The blend was built around the sweetness in a group of 99% corn bourbon barrels and a group of wheated bourbon barrels. To bridge these two groupings, we layered in 15 and 16-year-old barrels for their gentle nuttiness and oak. Finally, a selection of 10-year-old barrels was added to bring notes of milk chocolate and tropical fruit.

Nose: A rush of dry, notable oak, incorporating wormwood, tobacco, and pine needles. Curious and sweet with browned butter, candied walnut, and spiced apple pie. Other notes balance between woodsy and floral, such as thistle, milkweed, and poppyseed. As we emerge beyond the scope of oak, we find some fruity and sweet cream notes, the latter represented by peppermint latte and vanilla creme anglaise.
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Palate: Moderate sweetness and juicy citrus make for quite an easy pour. The fruit sings loudest here -- pomegranate juice and strawberry rhubarb pie. Extractive elements of spice and tannin bring quince and ginger beer into the equation. The baking spice nods toward a Manhattan, garnished with an orange twist. Finally, some marshmallow root and pumpernickel take it in an earthier, cardoon-like direction.

Finish: A quick burst of heat announces smoked paprika, black peppercorn, and spearmint. As it subsides, demerara rum and black cherry soda emerge. Finally, it fades to leave only a little chalk and slate.