Eagle Rare, Healthy Spirits Single Barrel #256 ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Nose: Typical vanilla & oak. Cherries, candied lemon & tangerine peel. The tangerine had been recently peeled and candied, as it possess juicy textures as well. Big, crisp grape soda notes in classic Buffalo Trace fashion. Some green fruits as well – green apple and a little honeydew melon. Speaking of honey, theirs that too, but the honey is light, not dark. Buttered toast, raisin, spiced sarsaparilla, and a light lemon custard is all layered on top of the oak, which is more muted in this barrel, by its vanilla counterpart, which has now formed into vanilla ice cream. Their is a rubber note too, that may be more metallic actually…hard to pin point exactly. Very honest nose. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Palate: Oak and vanilla concentrate, hand in hand. Where the nose is fruit heavy, the palate is sugary sweet. Oak extends to the mid palate with some baking spices but it’s the sweeter wood spices that stand out over the oak. Cherry syrup, banana, grape skins, mocha, torched chocolate and brown sugars. The sweet wood spices keep lumbering on all the way through to the back of the palate. Things round out with oak tannins showing up and the vanilla concentrate comes back around right before the finish with more momentum this time. Very vanilla heavy palate on this barrel, and it works nicely with the spice elements. Overall mouthfeel is thin to medium, at best, but their is a lot that shines through from 11 years in the barrel. This is a great representation of Buffalo Trace’s #1 mash bill. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Finish: This is where you know this barrel stands out – the finish is fantastic. Spices climax immediately then its oak barrel tannins and vanilla beans…French vanilla ice cream, specifically. The finish continues with sugar donuts, a few wisps of light wood smoke and bubble gum. Interesting how syrupy the finish is, considering the lack of viscosity on the palate. Some waves of light spices keep the sweetness in check. The finish is on the longer side of medium and, along with the nose, is where this barrel’s highest accolade lies. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Bourbon and House Rating: 89 _______________________________________________ www.bourbonandhouse.com