NULU Toasted Single Barrel Bourbon

Lovely stuff, with toasty marshmallow notes dripping overtop solid bourbon flavors. Its character is rather sweet, and there is no missing the toasted barrel—it jumps out in a blind tasting, and I’ve never called it wrong. Kind of a mood pour, but if I’m looking for something rich and sweet, it’s high on the list.

Vanilla on the nose, with a slight single malt up front that quickly gives away to sweet corn, caramel, and smoke. The smoke lingers but not over bearing. Some orange in the finish that’s of medium length

Party Source selection 120 proof. Drinks spicy and sweet, but not the same bitterness you get from some toasted bourbons. Y'all keep fighting for Elijah Craig, I'll take this any day

Sweet caramel with toasted marshmallows. Shorter finish than expected. Bayway Liquors store pick. 113 proof.

The nose is immediate toasted oak that is distinct with a kick of vanilla, while there are still notes of charred oak that together give a nice smokiness while there are also hints of cooked brown sugar, cinnamon, leather and butterscotch. The palate is somewhat rich and chewy and is a big burst of baking spices backed up by very buttery vanilla and a pepperiness that coats the whole mouth. There are secondary notes of ripe fruit, oak and leather that offer a nice balance. The finish is medium long and is creamy and peppery and really grabs your attention. It all gradually fades just in time for your next sip as this is quite the tasty whiskey. The toasted finish really brings out the creamy notes that elevate a good bourbon to something even better.

Nose is sweet, cherries Mouth is high pepper/spice…toast finish. Unimpressed

Rating: 14/23 I know absolutely nothing about Nulu, but I assume it's some new craft distillery. I'm assuming this is bourbon, but honestly it's been so long that I don't remember and my sample doesn't say. It does say that it's 5 years old though, so that's some information. N: Immediate sour mash. It has some moderately nice corn sweetness to it that makes me think of something like Ancient Ancient Age 10 Star. It's a little on the light side like light caramel or cotton candy. With the proof and toast, a bit of chocolate grows that makes me think a little of Garrison Brothers. I definitely believe there's toasted wood in here, but there isn't a lot of complexity, as often happens when toasted wood is used. At one moment, I got apricot, but I think I was hallucinating it. P: Sweet with tangerine and then some much milder corn flavor behind it. There's a bitterness like oak tannins with a bit of char. Late on the palate, some graininess comes out. I do get a touch of that chocolate, though not much. There's a definite tart, dry layer that ties into the bitter tannins and char. It isn't fruity, but it isn't quite waxy either. What is it? I almost get a little malty sweetness out of this as well. Maybe it's a bit grassy? It's fairly rich and full, but there also isn't much complexity here. F: The sweetness and fullness largely vanish, leaving some light caramel with lots of tannins and some char bitterness. A touch of grain here and there, but that's about it. - Conclusion - This has better flavor than Ancient Ancient Age 10 Star (12/23), though that isn't very high praise. This is more in the ballpark of Buffalo Trace (13/23). The flavors here are fuller and more decadent, but there are also flaws present (the excessive tannins and char) and the complexity isn't as impressive. I do like the grain coming out of this though. Between this and the Buffalo Trace, I slightly prefer this. Early Times Bottled In Bond (15/23) isn't as complex as this, but it really nails its flavor profile in a way that this doesn't. Russell's Reserve 10 (16/23) crushes this though with its much better complexity. There's more char in the Russell's, but it's better integrated, without those bitter tannins. Since Buffalo Trace was on the border between 13 and 14 and this is a little bit better, I'm going with a 14. I could even imagine coming back to this and giving it a 15. For $30 or less, this one is worth a try, especially considering its proof. Thanks for sharing this, @pkingmartin !

Nose - brown sugar, salted caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, graham cracker, orange zest, banana, clove, dark chocolate, toasted oak, black cherry, moderate ethanol burn. Taste - caramel, vanilla, clove, anise, caramelized banana, chocolate, cherry, apple, marshmallow, sweet oak, brown sugar, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium short with caramel, baking spice, and oak flavors. After my previous Nulu encounter, I’m skeptical that this will deliver a better experience. Well here goes their second chance. The nose is promising. It’s rich and creamy. Dark fruits, chocolate, and toasted oak make for a nice bouquet. The palate is similar, with more sweetness and rye spice carrying though the finish. It’s a bit like a high rye version of Woodford Double Oaked. This is much better than the Nulu Single Barrel I reviewed a while back. There’s some youthful brightness and it has a relatively thin mouthfeel, but this is a decent dram. I’m not rushing out to buy a bottle, but I’ll definitely have a more open mind if I come across more of their releases in the future. Many thanks to @pkingmartin for providing the generous sample!