Tastes

Rich and smooth, the chocolate malt is a winner here. I'm not sure if the rumored 35 year old casks in the mix is anything but a marketing gimmick to drive up the price tag, however. Forever long finish. This whiskey is enjoyable as hell but not super complex, and I'm not sure it justifies a $200 price tag.

At first sip, the brandy is evident. More heat than I expected. A little underwhelming at first. After 15-20 minutes in the glass, it starts opening up, and the Madeira cask starts to steal the show. Not a huge fan of the finish. Overall, it's pretty good, but can't help but feeling the price tag is influenced by hype, not the quality of the beverage.

The apricot brandy dominates the nose, Amaro the palate. It's definitely worth trying, but I'd agree with the apparent consensus that the other Barrell core offerings are better.

Nice red wine influence, finish is a bit on the short side.

Cut above the 12. The port wine really shines, nice and rich.

More medicinal than the typical Ardbeg, and peat seems more subdued. It's really a pretty average Islay at a much higher than average price. Only worth trying for the curiosity, glad I didn't find a whole bottle.

Manhattan barrel. Cloying sweetness, not super interesting. Even at $52 it was a bit of a letdown.