Whiskey Reviews: Barrel Bomb Kentucky Bourbon, Barrel Bomb Small Batch Bourbon

Editor’s Be aware: These whiskeys had been supplied to us as assessment samples by Barrel Bomb. This on no account, per our editorial insurance policies, influenced the ultimate consequence of this assessment. It also needs to be famous that by clicking the purchase hyperlink in direction of the underside of this assessment our web site receives a small referral cost which helps to help, however not affect, our editorial and different prices.

We’re all used to ingesting whiskey that has travelled a protracted strategy to our glass. Whether or not that be Scotch whisky in California or Japanese whisky in New York, whiskey sees some locations earlier than ending up in a glass. Barrel Bomb sees fairly a little bit of motion as nicely, however not for the explanations one would count on. The world of whiskey has develop into an intricate net of provide chains for the needs of manufacturing. And Barrel Bomb has an enchanting one.

I’m two totally different labels of Barrel Bomb, their Small Batch Bourbon and their bourbon finished in red wine barrels. What may shock you is these labels should not really coming from the identical firm. The Small Batch Bourbon is being launched by Tri Vin Imports, who has partnered with Precision Wine. The opposite bottle is being launched by Precision Wine. And each bottles have fully totally different provide chains and nothing however a reputation in frequent.

Precision Wine is an organization in Napa Valley, California. They take their wine barrels, age some bourbon in them, then fill them again up with wine and launch each bourbon completed in wine barrels and a wine completed in bourbon barrels. However, they aren’t a distiller. After speaking with somebody at Precision, they let me know the purple wine barrel completed bourbon begins with distilling at Green River Distilling Co. in Owensboro, Kentucky. As soon as aged for 3 years in white oak it’s despatched to Napa, California, and aged six months in Precision Wine’s Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. They instructed me they add new French oak to clean out the end, so I interpret that as a wooden chip addition versus one other barrel. It’s then despatched to Ringgold Distillers, LLC, operated out of Loch and Union Distilling in American Canyon, California, the place it’s bottled. It’s then distributed by Tri-Vin in New York. They do preserve a minimal three years of age and a mash invoice of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% barley batch to batch.

The Small Batch takes an entire totally different route. It begins with a sourced whiskey from MGP in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Relying on the batch that is two or three years outdated. It will get despatched to Cooperstown Distillery in Cooperstown, New York. Cooperstown blends the product from MGP with a few of their very own distillate. They then bottle it and ships it off to Tri-Vin Imports for all advertising and gross sales of the ultimate product. Cooperstown Distillery doesn’t declare this as one in every of their merchandise, however their different merchandise are additionally offered by Tri-Vin. This small batch will get totally different mash payments and totally different age statements. So for those who do resolve you take pleasure in it, don’t be stunned when the following bottle you seize tastes just a little totally different than you bear in mind.

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It’s fascinating to me that two totally different corporations would select to make an settlement to make use of the identical title for merchandise which can be so vastly totally different in each label and manufacturing course of. Whereas I see the profit to Tri-Vin and their small batch, I don’t get what’s in all of this for Precision Wines. Precision Wines appears to be producing one thing for his or her area of interest and have designed a pleasant label and model to go along with it. Tri-Vin appears to have hopped on the bandwagon in an try and up-sell some product and make the most of the branding Precision Wines is working with. Each merchandise seem to solely be distributed by Tri-Vin and have restricted availability in Ney York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. 

Barrel Bomb Kentucky Bourbon and Small Batch Bourbon (picture through Ian Arnold)

Tasting Notes: Barrel Bomb Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

Very important Stats: 43.3% ABV, mash invoice of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% barley, aged in white oak and Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. Distilled by Inexperienced River Distilling Co. $40 per bottle.

Look: Clear amber liquid with a touch of copper to it. Legs are thick and fast to kind.

Nostril: I discover the nostril attention-grabbing with lots occurring. I get hints of chocolate, purple fruit, and baking spice all backed up with a twinge of ethanol. It virtually jogs my memory of a stout or a porter.

Palate: The palate is mild and sizzling. I get a beer-like malt and a little bit of white pepper up entrance. There’s a contact of chocolate and caramel sweetness in there., and a success of tannin on the mid palate as nicely. That’s adopted by a light-weight lengthy  end that has a touch of sweetness and a really gentle burn. The addition of water makes the sweetness on this come ahead much more, however it stays simply as mild. I get extra malt, caramel, and vanilla with rather less of the pepper be aware. The end turns into only a trace of vanilla lingering behind the mouth.

Rating: 3/5

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Tasting Notes: Barrel Bomb Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey

Very important Stats: 45% ABV, distilled by MGP and Cooperstown Distillery, priced at $26 – $30 a bottle.

Look: A transparent boring yellow that types thick fats tears that fall at a medium pace.

Nostril: I get robust notes of oak and acetone. The oak presents like freshly reduce wooden and foliage with the scent of caramel and vanilla backing it up. 

Palate: The palate actually lives as much as its title. It tastes like I’ve simply put recent oak wooden shavings into my mouth.  This isn’t disagreeable, however it’s fairly one be aware. The end continues the heavy oak however has a refined vanilla and black pepper to enrich it. General it’s mild and clean. The addition of water doesn’t change an entire lot. It shifts the palate to have barely extra caramel and vanilla, however they’re nonetheless simply enhances to the recent oak taste.

Rating: 1.5/5

Ultimate Ideas

These whiskeys are as totally different in taste as they’re in how they’re produced. The small batch is a light-weight oak bomb that isn’t disagreeable, but in addition isn’t one thing I wish to be ingesting. The wine barrel end is a sweeter type bourbon that made for a superbly fantastic sipper that I may throw right into a Sizzling Toddy within the subsequent couple of days.