Barrell Craft Spirits Gray Label Bourbon 15 Year (2018 Release)

Nose - roasted peanut, cocoa, toffee, vanilla, cinnamon, red berry, orange vitamin, sweaty oak, anise, black pepper, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - toffee, orange vitamin, vanilla, roasted peanut, baked apple, chocolate malt, cinnamon butter, leather, nutmeg, black cherry, dry oak, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with roasted peanut, orange, and baking spice flavors. I have the great fortune of possessing three separate Barrell 15 Year samples, the 2019, 2020, and 2021. Starting here with the 2019 release, the nose has a strong dry roasted peanut quality. Cocoa powder, orange vitamin, and toffee are also very present. It’s rich, but very drying. The palate carries the same roasted peanut quality or possibly something similar to a homemade peanut butter. Malted chocolate, black cherry, and strong baking spices round out a nice, albeit slightly bitter and drying, palate. The mouthfeel and finish are above average. So the Dickel is definitely strong with this one. That telltale orange vitamin minerality is unmistakable. Further, there’s a very present musty peanut quality that makes me think of Beam, but I can’t verify that. Overall, this is very good bourbon. It’s extremely close to being great bourbon, but those Dickel vitamins and a borderline unpleasant bitterness hold it back for me. A big thank you to @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington for providing the generous sample!