Single Barrel

Blanton’s Bourbon Review (Acquistapace’s Barrel 39)


Earlier this year I was thrilled to have been asked to help with some barrel selections for Aquistapace’s Covington Supermarket.  Adam Acquistapace and I tasted our way through some barrel samples for private bottlings of Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare and Blanton’s.  In the case of Blanton’s, we ended up choosing two barrels.  The first barrel was delivered a couple of months ago and flew off the shelves before I had a chance to review it.

Adam Acquistapace pouring some samples.

Luckily, Adam has stocked his newly opened store in Mandeville with the second barrel.  Since the store opened this past week, I thought I’d go ahead and post some tasting notes for it.  Like all Blanton’s releases, this whisky was matured in Buffalo Trace’s Warehouse H.  This particular barrel (no. 39) rested on Rick No. 14.

Onto the bourbon…

The nose is full of big butterscotch notes, along with hints of maraschino cherries, wood spice, and vanilla bean.  Taste-wise, there’s an initial light hit of spice followed by big waves of light brown sugar and butterscotch.  Some red fruit develops in the midpalate alongside spiced corn and sweet oak.  The medium-long finish leaves behind a sweet caramel followed by slightly astringent oak and a touch of mint.

A pour of Buffalo Trace bourbon from a barrel sample. For each private barrel, Buffalo Trace Distillery sends a sample from three different barrels for you to choose.

This was my favorite of the two Blanton’s barrels we picked.  I love the way the fruit, butterscotch and spice compliment each other here.  Acquistapace’s is selling these for $51.99 each. Great price if you ask me. At the rate folks are buying this bourbon, I don’t expect this to be on shelves long after Thanksgiving weekend.

Thanks to Adam for asking me to help him with these barrel selections.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rebel Yell 10-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon Review

Earlier this year I was invited to a Luxco event in St. Louis.  At some point I was offered a pour of Rebel Yell Single Barrel.  It’s been a few years since I’ve tried it, but I’m not the biggest fan of the standard Rebel Yell.  I remember it being a bit one dimensional.  (I have a bottle and will give it a fresh tasting soon.) Presented with this opportunity I thought, “what the hell.”  The whiskey instantly struck a chord with me.  I liked it.  I REALLY liked it.

Rebel Yell Single Barrel is aged 10 years and is bottled at 100 proof.  That’s a long way from the standard bottling.  As far as I know, it still shares the same wheated mashbill and is most likely sourced from Heaven Hill.  Luxco states there will be about 2000 cases of Rebel Yell Single Barrel in 2016, and double that next year.  My sample is from barrel # 4744359.

The presentation also sees an upgrade over the standard Rebel Yell bottling.  This one comes in a nice cardstock box.  The bottle itself stands tall, with a thick glass base.  I like that the barrel number is handwritten.  I’m a sucker for handwritten labels.  Onto the whiskey…

The nose is vibrant (but not young) with aromas of vanilla pudding, honey butter biscuits, light toffee, and sweet corn, with a feint floral note buried beneath.  Kettle corn hits the palate first, followed closely by vanilla bean and carmelized brown sugar.  Wood spice begins to pick up on the mid palate, providing a touch of cinnamon and clove.  The finish starts sweet, but soon transitions to slightly-astringent, thanks to the oak tannins.  This is a really easy-drinking bourbon with character.

Why is this so much better than the standard Rebel Yell?  I think the answer is simple: age and proof.  The standard bottling is at least two years old and 80 proof.  This single barrel offering is 10 years old and 100 proof.  Luxco has a hit on their hands with this one, so long as there are consistently good quality barrels in their inventory.  Rebel Yell 10 year single barrel is priced right too, coming in at about $50 a bottle.  Make no mistake – this is no bottle shelf whiskey.  I said it before, and I’ll say it again:  I think Rebel Yell Single Barrel is the best whiskey Luxco currently has on the market.

8.5/10

Thanks to Luxco for the sample.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye Whiskey Review
Photo courtesy of Jack Daniel's.

Photo courtesy of Jack Daniel’s.

During the summer of 2014, I had a chance to talk to Jeff Arnett, the Master Distiller of Jack Daniel’s.  Towards the end of the brief interview he mentioned the upcoming rye whiskey release.  Fast forward a year and a half to March 2016, and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye (JDSBR) begins hitting shelves.

This rye expression is the distillery’s first new mashbill in 100 years.  Like Arnett stated in that interview, the mashbill is broken down to 70% rye, 18% corn and 12% malted barley.  The high percentage of rye grain should show up in the nose and palate.  Considering their traditional mash bill is 80% corn, 12% malted barley and 8% rye, it’s apparent the company wants to showcase a big rye note in the final product.

JDSBR is bottled at 94 proof and is the newest addition to the Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel lineup.  It offers no age statement, which is consistent with every other offering from the distillery.  Arnett says, “You never want to over-barrel a rye whiskey so it was important for us to stay true to the style of grain forward character rather than barrel character while still allowing our barrels to interplay with the whiskey.”

There has been some talk online about wide barrel variation for Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Barrel Proof, the company’s last release.   Some folks claim their whiskey was not of quality, whereas I tasted whiskey from two different barrels and found both to be delicious.  I’m curious to see how this new offering will fare.

Although the mashbill has changed, the nose is unmistakably a member of the Jack Daniel’s family.  Rye grain leads off the nose, followed by familiar JD notes of sweet caramel, banana, and a little oak.  The entry is a mixture of sweet and spicy.  Rye grain is showcased nicely, providing that spiciness and a bit of sharpness.  Caramel and that JD banana note add sweetness and some richness.  The oak note comes in close to the medium-length finish, which is a touch astringent and leaves behind a sweet note.

You know, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Rye is pretty darn good, especially for the suggested price of $49.99.  It’s pretty much what I expected from a JD rye whiskey.  It keeps the JD characteristics, but focuses on the rye grain.  Arnett and his team have not allowed the barrel influence to dominate the whiskey.  Assuming the whiskey makers are picking great barrels, I have a feeling this will be a hit for the company.

Give this one a chance.  I think you’ll like what you taste.

8/10
(Note: A small review sample was provided by Jack Daniel’s.)