Smoke Wagon Private Barrel Bourbon

This is a 12yr Store Pick Private Barrel for Liquor World. MGP sourced. Released 12/2019

Neat. Prav Saraff pick Hot Box. Tons of oak and baking spices upfront like a slightly burnt pie crust. Waves of vanilla and cinnamon. Hint of apples. Very nice, cozy nose on this. Nice and thick on the tongue, that apple, sugar hit your tongue first. The sour of the apple transitions to ethanol and burn on the tongue. Finish is the apple, vanilla and cinnamon. The sourness of the apple lingers on the tongue. Definitely some unique qualities to this barrel with that apple note. I don’t get apple from the Smoke Wagon Desert Jewel at all. There is a harshness I wouldn’t expect from a 12 year. It hits the tongue and then you get it again on the finish. If a few months on the shelf sands off the rough edges, I could bump this up a .5 or so. I’d put a lot of MGP ahead of this particular barrel.

Private barrel for Total Wine Nevada 11 year age statement 114 Proof Classic bourbon aromas meet the nose, the rye seems less prevalent than with their small batch. The palate is caramel, vanilla, tobacco, a little bit of leather, and rye spice. The finish is fairly hot and lingering. Overall, a solid take on the high rye style. I prefer it to some of the other MGP sourced barrel proof products.

Charred oak and fruit, with a moderate burn. With a large rock it has some fruity sweetness. Enjoyable. Not the longest finish.