Barrell Bourbon New Year 2023

First uncorking. 🍾 Let sit for about 5 minutes. 👀: Medium copper, looks viscous and oily at first glance, legs are thick indicating the high proof; 👃: Fruit basket, soft baking spices, butterscotch for sure, vanilla and cherry, not much hint of the alcohol at all; 👅: Caramel and cotton candy, luscious fruits, sweet honey, butterscotch once again, toffee; 🏁: Soft and sweet finish, almost tastes like you just finished a caramel candy, you're taken to bourbon heaven with this one, no hint of alcohol whatsoever, this deserves more than 5 stars!

Caramel, nougat, chocolate. Very sweet. Extremely good bottle. Drinking march 16, 2023.

This is a rich, remarkably smooth iteration that has somewhat of a caramel apple character. A bit of heat, but not what you might expect. Upon the opening, it appears somewhat fruity and sweet; but after a few minutes, the wood joins in the fun, creating a dry and elegant finish. Interestingly, the flavors hit all three areas of the palate, each lending a different note. At the tail end, there is a slightly prickly cinnamon tone that seems to ask for just one more sip.