Review: Barrell Bourbon Batch 21 and 22
Barrell Bourbon is keeping the small batches flowing this fall. We recently received their two newest additions, Batch 021 and Batch 022. Let’s dive in!
Barrell Bourbon Batch 21 – Like the two batches before it, this one is a blend of 10- and 14-year-old straight rye bourbons from Kentucky and Tennessee. The nose is rich and complex with peanut brittle, toasted oak, and bruleed sugar. A bit of humid rickhouse in the aroma gives the whole thing a dank, oak-forward sweetness typically reserved for older bourbons. The palate is syrupy and mouth-coating with caramel apple, toffee pudding, and a little bit of banana Runts character. It dries out somewhat on the mid-palate but kicks up the candy apple sweetness, alongside some orange peel and cigar box. The finish is long and caramel covered with a bit of wet tobacco and cinnamon sugar. 106.34 proof. A / $90
Barrell Bourbon Batch 22 – This bottle is a mix of 5-year-old straight bourbons from Kentucky and Indiana; you’ve got to go way back to Batch 7 to taste a Barrell blend this young. On the nose, it’s bright and floral with caramelized peaches and assorted spice cabinet selections, alongside some cedar closet and a trace of pencil shavings. On the palate, it’s oily with a healthy spice and a mix of candy notes: clove chewing gum, orange rock candy, and a little Tootsie Roll. The mid-palate sees some black tea at first but eventually turns more classic with toffee and cinnamon stick notes. The finish is creamy, becoming all vanilla custard and caramel sauce into a medium-length, gently warming finish. 116.6 proof. A- / $90
Barrell Bourbon Batch 21
$90
