Tastes

Proof 116.8 Batch - Pure1 Aroma - nutty, white chocolate, root beer, cherry, dark fruits. 
 Taste - Ash/smoke up from and on the finish, the smoke returns. Mid palate I’m getting a root beer float, cherries, and slight almond note. Medium to long finish. Coats the palate nicely. Overall - this one is a bit perplexing. On some sips.. the smoke dominates. On others I get a ton of those mid palate notes and its quite nice.

Aroma - tons of apples , pears and sugar candy are very pronounced here. There’s a slight hint of citrus. But the apples and pears just dominate the nose. As it opens, I’m getting some fresh cut lumber notes. Rye profile coming through as bubblegum here and hint of cinnamon. Taste - Again, I’m getting lots of apple here (full disclosure, apple is not my favorite flavor profile) There is a sweet cupcake frosting on the finish. The rye is very mute here. And at 51/49, that can be expected. There’s a hint of the typical black pepper, splash of cinnamon/baking spice there… damn this is underwhelming Overall - I cannot recommend. The price is insane for what you are getting here. I understand that this is a 51/49 Rye.. and a BiB which creates a standard.. but there are far better offerings out there at the price range ($80) I would only recommend this to someone who is infatuated with the Bottled in Bond experience… or if you are doing a blind tasting competition of only BiB whiskeys. Then sure.. have at it. It wont win.

Neck pour review Aroma - tremendous. Cherry cola, deep oak, caramal and vanilla. Slight nutty note. As it opens up, im getting more black berries, and spices. Really hope the taste follows the nose Taste - Quite a bit peanut coming through mid-palate and finish on the neck pour. Berries, oak and caramel up front. Vanilla spiking with that nuttiness on the finish. Really enjoying this pour. Overall - I love just how sticky this batch is… it coats the palate extremely well. Sticks to the mid palate and provides that long lasting caramel and oak with alcohol burn. If you can get this for $90 or under..do it

2 oz sample from a friend. Binnys Store Pick Aroma - Whoa.. I’m getting quite a bit red hot cinnamon candy. Wasn’t really expecting that. Big wet oak and vanilla here as well. Picking up some floral notes. A very subtle hint of dark fruit but its way in the back. Taste - Man. This store pick is nice. Huge caramel and vanilla sweetness of front. Very very sweet. Dessert-like. Finish is nice and long. Hints of cinnamon and marshmallow. Dark fruits are more present here than in the nose. Overall - this store pick is outstanding.

Aroma- getting lots of apple on the initial pour. As it opens up though, the apple fades and I’m now getting a ton of spices. Cinnamon, bayleaf, and nutmeg. Not getting the typical peanut profile from Bookers/Beam. Taste - Not getting the typical Bookers/Beam peanut profile on this to be honest. Caramel and vanilla dominate the palate from start to finish. Big buttery and creamy finish. Very smooth, drinks below its proof. Overall - this is very good. More sweet than bold. Love the buttery/creamy finish. The caramel and vanilla are awesome.

Aroma - typical banana bread profile that I usually get from the OF line up. Some caramel, vanilla buttercream frosting and cherries.. Very sweet and inviting, but definitely watered-down smelling. Taste - following the nose. Big sweet profile. Touch of spice to bring balance. It’s a solid pour slightly above average at its price point

Aroma- bold wheat profile. Bubblegum, dark fruits presence (plums, blackberry jam), oak presence is nice rounding out the aroma. Not a “wow” moment here.. but quite intriguing. Taste - wheat is very evident here again, really enjoying the balance of the wheat and the oak. The dark fruits come through here again but with the addition of a slight cherry note. Overall - at the price point and for a wheated 10 year… it’s fantastic.

Aroma - getting lots of buttery notes on this. Baking spices, slight barnyard hay (rye), cinnamon. Above average for the price point Taste - nice balance of rye and caramel. Slight hint of cinnamon and finish has a lingering mint. As expected, it is very thin whiskey not a long finish. But again, above average at this price point. 3.65

Aroma- tons of dry cocoa powder, slight hint of orange/citrus and cherries. Rye spices and leather, a lightly browned marshmallow (like when you are doing smores) Taste- Wow. First that jumps out at me is how smooth this one is at 116.6 proof. And has a really nice finish. Very complex first sip experience. This one really is unique. Each sip is different. Sometimes its rich in flavor (chocolate, dark fruits and intense caramel), sometimes it’s sweet (corn, marshmallow, burnt sugar, cherries) and other times it’s bold (rye, wintergreen cask strength booziness)

Aroma - birthday cake frosting drenched in alcohol and oak.. As it opens up, I’m getting nice caramel notes with subtle hints. Sweet and quite decadent.. Picking up some rye spice too. Quite nice. Taste - follows the nose. But theres a very nice syrupy note. The alcohol presence realy kicks at the back od the palate and into the finish. Overall - like most stellums, its a bold offering. I personally enjoy it… when i first had it, i thought it was extremely good. However, now i feel like $90 is overpriced. Should be in the $70-80 range. Original score was 4.75. I must bump this down due to value and lack of transparency…. No age statement…. No mashbill… what the hell am i even drinking?!? These sit on the shelves for a reason… and i hope they continue to do so. Its hard to pull the trigger on something that is priced this high without giving the consumer any information on the product being purchased. (Yet I did so because I watched some youtube review) In my opinion… Barrell Craft Spirits needs to discontinue the Stellum brand all together. No age statement … no Mashbill and high price = DO NOT BUY Stick with the BCS Bourbon and Rye… you get the age statement and the mashbill at a lower price … and just as good of whiskey imho