Tastes

Open 10 months Nose - Coffee, cocoa powder, toffee, molasses, heavy stout malt, vanilla, strong oak and ethanol. Palate - Light and delicate sweetness up front, gingerbread, molasses, toasted rye, coffee cake, and wood pulp. Finish is long with coffee grounds, oak extract, rye baking spices, and medium ethanol heat. Sample provided by my friend last Christmas. I have no barrel information on this, but it is very similar to the last Balcones Rye CS we split. This is not my profile, but I can tell this is a well-made unique rye that some people will love.

Bull City Bourbon Club pick, "Take the Cannoli" No barrel information provided on the bottle Open 2 months Nose - Hot and spicy rye, baking spices, and grain, black pepper, toffee, dark caramel, orange peel, Chai tea, light oak, and strong ethanol. Palate - The heat and rye spice continue on the tongue, medicinal cherry, artificial orange, cinnamon, black pepper, grainy caramel, and gingerbread. Finish is medium with more prominent oak tannins, slightly herbal rye spice, burnt caramel, grain and fresh cut grass, and spicy ethanol kick. This lies in a gray area between the overly grainy and young MGP bourbons from Old Scout, Old Soul, Pinhook, etc., and the richer and better MGP bourbons from Belle Meade and Smoke Wagon. I don't think this comes close to Smoke Wagon, but it is knocking on Belle Meade's door (which may be irrelevant in a year when all the old Belle Meade is sold). Would I buy this again? Likely no. At this price there are too many options that I prefer. It is better than most of the sourced MGP bourbons I've had, but not necessarily the best value when Old Scout Cask Strength goes for $35 in NC.

Barrel No. 5651852 Barrel Filled 09-30-2009 Open 11 months Nose - Toasted marshmallow, peanut shells, caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, barn hay, cardamon, vanilla, lemon peel, cheap cigar smoke, and light ethanol. Palate - Maraschino cherry, caramel, toast, dry oak, clove, cinnamon, wet leaves, old peanuts, bitter cocoa, and black pepper. Finish is medium with drier oak tannins, anise, clove, musty vegetation, rotten wood, campfire ash, bitter dark chocolate, and light ethanol burn. I only bought this because it is sought-after and I thought I might be able to trade it locally. I've never been a fan of Heaven Hill wheated bourbons, so I was hoping to get rid of this but nothing truly enticed me. In retrospect, I would've gladly taken the 1792 FP pick or ECBP, both are way more enjoyable. To me this is just bad, the palate has too many musty wood and vegetal flavors that drown out any spices, fruit, or peanut notes. Considering you can get cask strength or nearly cask strength Rebel picks for much less money, I wouldn't touch this for $80. I don't think the 10 years is kind to this bourbon, I like it better at younger age statements. Hopefully my friend will take my half bottle off my hands.

Open 10+ years Nose - Canned corn explosion, artificial buttered popcorn, flower bouquet, and strong ethanol. Palate - Jelly Belly buttered popcorn beans soaked in ethanol, and not much else. Finish is long with piping hot buttered popcorn and ethanol burn. This isn't complex. I think I've had this over a decade, and it's still half full. You really have to love that buttered popcorn jelly bean to halfway enjoy this, otherwise it's a slog to sip. I really hate that jelly bean flavor, so this is obviously not for me. It's clean and all, which is what you want in new make, but at 125 proof it is not enjoyable. I'm dumping out the rest of it.

Open 7+ years Nose - Vegetal, Espadin mezcal with subtle smoke, grilled jalapenos, earthy herbal mix, and light ethanol. Palate - Black pepper, rye spice, crushed jalapeno simple syrup, and pine needles. Finish is medium-short with a burst of fresh jalapeno slices, black pepper, and a light ethanol burn. This is much better than it has any right to be. It was a gift from my brother many years ago because I love spicy stuff, but it sits in the back of my shelf receiving little love. It actually is very drinkable, and is not too spicy. My guess is they strained most of the seeds out like a lot of jalapeno saison and pale ales. The jalapeno essence is great on its own, and the rye whiskey base actually makes this interesting for cocktail experimentation.

Bull City Bourbon Club pick, "Rye'm or Raisin" Barrel No. V933 100% Canadian rye Age - 15 years and 9 months 67.92% abv; 135.84 proof Open 2 months Nose - Golden raisins, roses, oranges, ginger snap cookies, pine sap, white pepper, light oak, and strong ethanol. Palate - Freshly cracked peppercorns, raisin medley, vanilla bean, Turkish delight, light anise, clove, pine needles, confectioners sugar, and corn dust. Finish is long with peppercorn medley, really dry raisins, chalk, candy corn, pine bark, and sharp ethanol. Another fantastic Barrell pick, and easily the best Canadian rye I've had (which is not many). It was a bit strong and ethanol-forward when I first opened the bottle, but it settled well. Although Barrell is not cheap, this is a significant step up from Alberta Premium Cask Strength for only $25 more. That bottle was all hot spice and no complexity, this has the raisins, syrup, and conifer notes to round out that spiciness you expect with a >130 proof rye. Highly recommend if you see their rye label with the Canadian rye source. Their MGP rye single barrels are excellent too, but MGP rye is easy to find.

Open 9 months Nose - Black pepper, ocean brine, honeysuckle, Honey Nut Cheerios, green apple, conifer mix, light oak, and light ethanol. Palate - Very light honey and honeysuckle, peppery malt, brine, green apple, pear, spiced orange, and hint of bitterness. Finish is medium-short with more dry oak tannins, black pepper, over steeped chai tea, and light ethanol. This was a holiday gift, something I don't see in NC despite the presence of Oban 14. While much cheaper than Oban 14, this isn't as good. I like it, but if you desire an affordable Highland-style malt with a clear ocean influence, I recommend the cheaper Old Pulteney 12. Or for a similar price the unpeated Bruichladdich.

Bull City Bourbon Club pick, "Berry Garcia" Barrel No. Z554 MGP low rye mashbill: 75 corn / 21 rye / 4 malted barley Age - 8 years and 9 months 55.52% abv; 111.04 proof Open 2 months Nose - Berries and cream hard candy, candy bar nougat, raspberry chocolate cheesecake, cheap maraschino cherries, corn dust, nutmeg, toasted oak, and medium ethanol. Palate - Artificial cherry, chalky dried berries, old fashioned berry hard candy, Corn Pops, oats, and hay. Finish is medium-long with heavy minerality, chalky dried berries, cornmeal, flower petal tea, white pepper, light oak, and medium ethanol. This is our second Barrell pick of the summer. It starts really strong with an overwhelming berries and cream nose that could be attributed to any number of candies or desserts. But, the palate is overwhelmingly chalky and dusty. If I didn't know this was MGP, I would've automatically guessed it was a lesser sourced Barton product based on the artificial fruity cereal vibe. It's the same flavor profile I get in Three Chord, Yellowstone, and some 1792 products, and it's not always pleasant because it can easily veer into chalky minerals with hints of fruit and corn. I apologize to my club admins because this is my least favorite Barrell product I've had. It's good, but for $100 it's underwhelming.