Barrell Bourbon is the brainchild of Joe Beatrice.  Based out of Crestwood, KY, Beatrice seeks out barrels of whiskies he finds unique.  Though he openly sources his whiskey, Beatrice is not willing to stick to one specific mashbill or style of whiskey.  Some batches are from Kentucky, while others from Tennessee.  Each batch is bottled at cask strength and non-chill filtered.  This retains the quality of the whiskies aging in the casks.

Barrell has released several batches of bourbon and whiskey.  Batch 005 is a Tennessee straight bourbon whiskey bottled at 124.7 proof.  Aged for slightly more than 8 years, it’s made up of 70% corn, 26% rye and 4% malted barley.

As expected with a barrel-proof whisky, the nose is big and robust.  Roasted sweet corn dominates this full-bodied bourbon.  Look for rye spice, cocoa and vanilla notes right underneath.  Taste-wise, I get some lovely sweet corn pudding, dark chocolate, sharp rye grain, and vanilla… all underneath a bed of cinnamon.  The high proof and high rye mash bill gives this bourbon a spicy kick.  The sweet corn note carries over onto the medium finish, developing into sweet cinnamon.  A surprisingly shorter finish than expected.

Barrell Bourbon batch 005 is unlike any other bourbon I’ve had the pleasure of tasting.  There’s something about the way the corn note plays with the spiciness I can’t find in another bourbon.  Think Booker’s minus the nutty note with the cinnamon note turned up a few notches.  Very nicely done.