PBMichiganWolverine
Barrell Dovetail (122.9 Proof)
Blended American Whiskey — (bottled in) Kentucky, USA
Reviewed
April 11, 2019 (edited December 7, 2020)
Finishing whiskey with a strong red wine like Cabernet is risky business. And then taking that whiskey, and blending it with bourbon finished in rum and then port, is even riskier. This does just that, with a 10 and 11 yr old whiskey and bourbon, respectively, and does it damn freakin well. I’m a huge fan of Barrell, one of the few blenders (along with Compass Box and High West) that somehow make the sum greater than the parts. At $80, this isn’t a bargain. But when you think of it as a 10 and 11 yr old, twice finished, then it seems to make sense.
So...on to the tasting. The nose is all rum. Sweet molasses, rock candy. Taste is where the Cabernet shines. You get dark cherries, marshmallows. Rich and sinful.
I’m astonished how well balanced this turned out. Whiskey and bourbon finishing can be polarizing, but these guys nailed it. And the price of admission won’t have you taking a second mortgage (hey...BTAC, that’s for you).
80.0
USD
per
Bottle
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@Swahili1 I was pleasantly surprised by this as well. Hope you enjoy—cheers!
I have read all good things about this bottle and after reading your review I am in on getting one. I get a little suspicious by blending and finishing but the Highwest comparison and your evaluation are good enough for me! Cheers!
@Soba45 I think they might be US only for now. But worthwhile to pick up if you see it. A big knock against it is that they source, not distill their own. I’m okay with that, as long as they do something to it beyond just a pretty label and marketing bullshit.
Ah interesting never heard of these guys. You are definitely right, they must be pretty skilled as that sounds like a recipe for a horrible mess!