Barrell Whiskey Single Barrel A110

How old is too old? Although I've had just a few American whiskeys over fifteen years old, I know this much - left in the barrel too long, our domestic drams can become oaky, dry, tannic and even astringent.   @ScotchingHard described this well in his review of Rhetoric 23 the other day.   The backstory here is that Barrell was able to procure a number of barrels of an 18-year old whiskey which was distilled and aged in Kentucky in used bourbon casks.   This bottle was unfinished, but a significant number of finished versions will also be released, with finishing options ranging from ice wine to agricole rum.   The nose is nothing unexpected, although it's certainly less bright than younger whiskeys - some maple sweetness, leather, corn and vanilla.  But the palate is a different story.   It's dominated by an overpowering oak that begins in a relatively benign manner, but gets progressively more harsh, sharp and dry.  Typical American whiskey flavors of caramel, vanilla and cherry are nowhere to be found, and any spiciness has been muted by time. The finish is somewhat astringent and fairly short.     The conclusion?  For me, this whiskey would have benefitted from being pulled from the barrel well before 18 years elapsed.  As I said, my frame of refenence is limited, so someone else might find it to be a fine example of an older whiskey.  Interestingly, my experience with the few older bourbons I've tried has been much different and more enjoyable.  Elijah Craig 18 comes to mind, as does Rhetoric 24, which trends in the oaky, tannic direction, but not so severely.  It's led me to wonder if the use of a used barrel instead of new one accelerated the effects of time.   Perhaps the finished bottles will be better, with the finishing notes providing a much needed offset.  But I'm skeptical - finishing only does so much, and I'm not sure that anything is going to sufficently tame the oak. This is the first time I've been disappointed with anything Barrell has produced, but my overall experience with the brand is still stellar.  The upside is that I won't spend the remainder of the year debating whether to prioritize purchases of additional bottles of the 18-year-old whiskeys or Barrell's upcoming bourbon releases.