According to the website, “Barrell Craft Spirits Gold Label Bourbon is a blend of straight bourbons aged up to 18 years. Barrels for this release were selected from four different collections: barrels with rich cherry and nutty notes, spicy tropical fruit-forward barrels, barrels with pronounced herbal and dark chocolate notes, and barrels with oak-forward coconut notes. The last group underwent a secondary maturation in toasted virgin American oak casks before being added to this intricate and seductive blend.”
That translates to a lot of marketing, but I was at my Twins Smoke Shop/7-20-4 Lounge my local cigar bar which has an incredible selection of bourbon. I saw this on the shelf and at first I was hesitant being frustrated with all the weird barrel aging the company does. Since this was more traditional I couldn’t pass up a pour.
Bourbon Review: Barrell Craft Gold Label Bourbon Release #2 (2022)
ABV: 51.2% (102.2 Proof)
Age: Up to 18 Years
Mash Bill: Not Disclosed
Distilled In: Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee
Bottled by: Barrel Craft Spirits
Location: Louisville, KY (USA)
The Nose: The aroma from the glass has a nice tobacco note with hints of toasted oak with the addition of some tropical fruits including pineapple and mango. Going back for secondary pulls of the aroma the tobacco note continues to stand out
The Taste: Breakfast in a glass with notes of French toast and a chocolate drizzle enveloping the palate on the first sip. It’s wonderfully nuanced and exceptionally smooth with a nice mouth feel. Subsequent sips see notes of maple and oak shine through with a touch of coconut on the finish where it is joined by some cedar. Despite coming in at 102.2 it lacks any heat.
Conclusion: I was definitely impressed with this pour that I quickly looked to buy my own bottle. Thankfully, you can still order these direct from Barrel Craft Spirts. I wish Barrel would release more bottles like this instead of some of the crazy offerings they have. While there is some abundance of sweetness from at least one of the barrels this comes from, the juice shines through making this all about the bourbon and not the barrels. The price is a little steep, but there is absolutely no buyers remorse here.
Score: 94
Price: $299.99
