Barrell Armida

Had I tasted Armida blind, I would have been completely befuddled if I had to guess what it was. Cognac? Armagnac??  I'm not ashamed to say bourbon might never have occurred to me.  It's unlike any whiskey I've ever had. The reason it didn't offer even a hint of its bourbon provenance is the finishes, which dominate.  The pear brandy hits up front - sweet, rich and fruity.  The Jamaican rum steadily underpins the palate, while the spicy and slightly bitter amaro crescendos to the finish. There's a rich thickness that is slightly reminiscent of a liqueur.  It's sweet, but the Jamaican funk and the amaro bitterness are a great offset.   The only comparison I can think of is Barrell's Dovetail.  The profiles are very different, but both are finish driven, complex, and highly unique.  Also like the Dovetail, Armida is very drinkable at full proof.  In fact, I can't think of any other 110+ proof spirit that drinks easier. I find it a bit harder to numerically rate a spirit that doesn't have obvious peers, and I'll be interested to see where others reviewers land.  I won't be surprised if Armida ends up as a polarizing dram.  For me, the 4.5 simply speaks to the sheer enjoyment I had drinking it.