Three Chord Single Barrel Bourbon (Copper Creek Vineyard)

Pick by Bull City Bourbon Club; Named "David's Secret Chord" Barreled on 05-21-15; Bottled on 11-09-21 Age - 6 years, 5 months, 19 days 58.6% abv; 117.2 proof Open 2 months Nose - Chalky, grain, caramel, cinnamon powder, artificial cherry, vanilla, white chocolate, cocoa powder, bubble gum, light oak, and medium ethanol. Palate - Medicinal cherry, dry rye baking spice, bubble gum, spicy ethanol, peanut brittle that is light on peanuts, fresh grains, NYC tap water, and light orange peel. Finish is medium with dry oak and baking spices, more chalk and grain, brittle caramel, and a short burst of ethanol that quickly fades. This Barton product was lackluster at first but got better as it opened up. I was afraid it would be as mediocre as the local Yellowstone single barrel I bought last year, but luckily this is more comparable to a strong 1792 Single Barrel. I'm glad there are companies like Three Chord selling near-barrel proof Barton bourbon at a good price. It always feels like Barton is selling high age stuff they don't want to NDPs, which is why I probably won't buy any of that 14+ year stuff over $100. I don't think this replaces a good 1792, which are almost always great values but harder to find these days. At $60 this is something I'd take a chance on if you find a pick and like the 1792 profile. Side note, the more Barton bourbons I've tasted the more I think it is a rye-spice cousin of George Dickel. Barton, especially the single barrels, have a lot of chalky minerality and grainy flavors. I typically find that in young MGP or Dickel. The difference is the lower rye and charcoal filtering, Dickel is definitely sweeter than Barton. But that Flintstone vitamin note people always complain about in Dickel is definitely present in 1792 Single Barrel, Yellowstone, and Three Chord. I