New Expert Spirit Reviews - May 24, 2023

This is the second annual Diamond Peak release, a limited edition bottling featuring a creative cask. Here, Stranahan's begins with its 100% malted barley Colorado single malt whiskey that's been aged from 5-8 years (the barrels used were virgin American oak with a #3 char). Then the whiskey is finished for an additional two years in barrels which previously held Jose Cuervo's Reserva de la Familia Extra Añejo Tequila. Availability begins March 2023 online, at the distillery, and select Colorado retailers with a wider nationwide release to follow. (SRP $79.99-84.99)

Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection Peated Bourbon is the 26th release in this limited edition collection that first debuted in 2006. This Kentucky straight bourbon was made by substituting smoked peated malt in place of malted barley in the mash bill recipe. The bourbon was aged for almost 10 years in new, charred American oak barrels and then was bottled at 90 proof. Packaged in 375ml bottles, this will become available nationwide on a limited basis beginning May 2023. (SRP $46.99)

Barley Edition is the seventh and final release in Crown Royal's Noble Collection, an annual limited edition series which celebrates innovation and experimentation while honoring the brands roots. The whisky is aged at least five years and was made from a blend of whiskies distilled from unmalted and malted barley, 85% and 15% respectively. Bottled at 90 proof, it's available for a limited time as of April 2023. (SRP $79.99)

This is the first lot release for Wolves Whiskey's Malted Barley Series. Each lot was distilled by Master Distiller Marko Karakasevic who used a small alembic pot still from Cognac to distill, but each lot will vary with regards to the barley type, the barley source, the yeast, and the maltings with some peated and others not. Lot One was distilled in 2015 using two-row pale malt barley and California ale yeast. It is not peated. Eleven barrels were blended for Lot One and the barrels were all made from American oak from a Napa Valley Cooperage. However, the toast & char levels vary from a light toast to char 3 and the barrel heads alternated between Hungarian oak and American oak. Bottled at 110 proof, Lot One is available at select retailers beginning April 6, 2023 with pre-sales beginning March 30, 2023 on the Wolves' website. (SRP $289)