Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel
The Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel Bourbon is produced much like their original iteration, but it goes through a round of finishing inside toasted barrels.
The time its spent inside toasted barrels contributes to a silky caramel profile alongside the traditional oak, dark chocolate, and baking spices.
Us1 Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash
43% ALC./VOLDISTILLED AND BOTTLED IN KENTUCKY
Upon its being named Whisky Of The Year for 2019 by The Whisky Exchange, Michters US1 Sour Mash Whiskey became the first whiskey made in the United States to ever achieve this honor. It is this award winning whiskey that is at the heart of our Toasted Barrel Sour Mash Whiskey. It is made by taking Michters US1 Sour Mash Whiskey and then aging it for an additional period of time in a second custom made barrel. This second barrel is assembled from 18-month air-dried wood and then toasted but not charred. Several different levels of toast for the second barrel were evaluated before our production team led by Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson decided on the one that would best display the elegant nuances of this remarkable whiskey.
Remus Repeal Reserve Series Vi 2022 Medley
Buy Here:$120
The Whiskey:
This years Remus Reserve is a mix of six to 14-year-old bourbons. Buckle in. The blend is made from 2% of a 2008 bourbon with a 21% rye mash, 27% from a 2012 bourbon with a 21% rye mash, 29%from a 2014 bourbon with a 21% rye mash, 17% from a 2012 bourbon with a 36% rye mash bill, and 25% from a 2014 bourbon with that same very high rye mash bill. Once vatted, the whiskey is just touched with water for proofing and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one is complex and meaders through mint fields and caramel apple stands as hints of old boot leather, plum jam, winter spice, and a hint of sweet oak round things out. The palate opens with a rich toffee before a warmth takes over with a soft spice before woody vanilla and creamed honey take over. The end feels like a handful of candied fruits wrapped up in leathery tobacco leaves with a hint of cedar bark and dried mint in the background.
Who Its Perfect For:
This is a high-end bottle that delivers truly deep flavor notes while still feeling accessible, making it perfect for someone whos into bourbon but not fanatical about it.
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Toasted Barrel Bourbon Tasting Notes
- Palate: A toasted barrel bourbon typically has a vanilla-forward palate, less oakiness, and a shaper profile.
- Nose: A toasted barrel bourbon typically has a buttery-caramel aroma with spicy undertones.
- Color: This spirit will typically have a light amber color.
- Finish: Bourbon whiskey matured inside toasted barrels will have a spicy finish.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof
Buy Here:$54
The Whiskey:
This is the mountaintop of what Wild Turkey can achieve. This is a blend of the best barrels that are married and bottled untouched. That means no filtering and no cutting with water. This is a classic bourbon with nowhere to hide.
Tasting Notes:
This opens like a dessert table during the holidays with crème brûlée next to a big sticky toffee pudding with orange zest sprinkled over the top next to a bushel of fresh mint. The palate hits an early note of pine resin as the orange kicks up towards a bold wintry spice, soft vanilla cream, and a hint of honeyed cherry tobacco. The end keeps the winter spices front and center as a lush pound cake feeling leads to soft notes of cherry-spiced tobacco leaves folded into an old cedar box with a whisper of old vanilla pods lurking in the background.
Who Its Perfect For:
This is a very hyped bourbon for a reason, its truly delicious and wonderfully priced .
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Michters Us1 Toasted Barrel Finish
There is no royal flower strewn path to success. And if there is, I have not found it, for whatever success I have attained has been the result of much hard work and many sleepless nights. Madame C.J. Walker
It goes without saying that an induction into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame is a distinct honor. Its one that recognizes a lifetime of achievement, and what is achievement but the byproduct of talent and hard work? Its that triumvirate of qualities that define the career of Andrea Wilson. In her role as Michters Master of Maturation it is her job to procure and ensure the quality of the barrels used for the brands distillate. It is also in that role that she has made one of her most lasting marks on the American whiskey world Im talking here about her influence on popularizing the use of toasted barrels.
Look around: theres a proliferation of toasted barrel products on the market today, and yet the ones that generate the most feverish following and typically the most profound praise are those that come from Michters Distillery. Theyve released a Toasted Barrel Finish Rye and a Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon in addition to the expression I will be considering today. Initially released in 2019 to glowing reviews, this expression has been on a three-year hiatus but after an all-too-long wait Michters has finally released their second offering of US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash Whiskey.
Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
Buy Here:$60
The Whiskey:
This expression takes the standard bourbon above and gives it a finishing touch. The bourbon is blended and moved into new barrels that have been double-toasted but only lightly charred. The juice spends a final nine months resting in those barrels before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with blackberries and marzipan next to toffee and honey with a sense of pitchy firewood in the background. The palate adds Nutella to the mix with dried tart berries and apple cider next to burnt toffee and cinnamon bark. The end arrives with a sense of woody and spicy tobacco next to creamed honey and old nutshells.
Who Its Perfect For:
This is a sleeper hit. Its from a huge brand, sure, but its also just really good whiskey that even the biggest snobs admittedly like.
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Us1 Toasted Barrel Finish Rye
ALC./VOL VARIESDISTILLED AND BOTTLED IN KENTUCKY
While our Michters team distills according to tried and true Kentucky practices, it continually experiments as it pursues Michters goal of making the greatest American whiskeys. Following years of research on different barrel finishes for rye whiskey, we are proud to offer this release of our Michters US1 Toasted Barrel Rye. To make it we take our US1 Kentucky Straight Rye at barrel strength and then age it for an additional period in a second custom barrel. This second barrel is assembled from 24 month air-dried wood and then toasted to our specifications. The result is a unique rye whiskey that we take pride in offering to you. The strength of the majority of the barrels selected for the 2020 release ranges from 107.2 to 111.2 proof.
- First Barrel: Fire-charred, new American white oak barrelsSecond Barrel: Toasted barrel made from 24 month air-dried wood
- BARRELING STRENGTH
King Of Kentucky Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel
Buy Here:$2,595
The Whiskey:
This years King of Kentucky is a 15-year-old bourbon made from a mash of 79% corn, 11% rye, and 10% malted barley. The spirit made at the Brown-Forman Distillery in West Louisville went into the barrel on December 18, 2009, at 125% entry-proof. After 15 long years, only about 35% of the whiskey was left in the barrel. 43 single barrels were then chosen for this release and individually bottled as-is, yielding about 3,500 bottles of King of Kentucky.
Tasting Notes:
This opens very tannic-y with a mix of pitchy firewood, old honey barrels, dried cranberry, nutmeg, old vanilla husks, cornmeal pancake batter, and a hint of chili-laced tobacco. The taste is bold with a hot spice mix of cinnamon and dried anchos thats tempered by lush vanilla and creamy dark chocolate with a hint of sweet cherry and old wicker rounding things out. The end is woody and full of potting soil with a hint of old chewing tobacco next to orchard wood.
Who Its Perfect For:
This is the whiskey for the bourbon fanatic in your life. Its a true holy shit bottle both as a gift and on the palate.
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Michter’s Toasted Barrel Sour Mash Overview
Its been a long time coming for 2019s Michters Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash, the third toasted barrel whiskey from Michters. The previous two, the Toasted Barrel Finished Bourbon and Rye were very limited and highly desired. Unfortunately, the Toasted Barrel Sour Mash is just as limited and frequently marked-up.
Toasted barrel and sour mash are vague terms not often found on whiskey labels. Toasted Barrel finish means that the whiskey was finished in a second barrel that was more gently roasted than what is normally done for the initial aging. In comparison, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked was finished in barrels that were deeply toasted before a light charring to add darker and intense roasted notes. The lighter toasting should impart gentler wood influence.
In the context of this whiskey, sour mash means that the mash bill does not contain a majority of either corn or rye to be able to call it bourbon or rye whiskey. As a result, its really an American whiskey, the all-encompassing term for non-bourbon or rye.
Lets find out if these fancy toasted barrels bring anything new and delicious to the drinking experience in this Michters Toasted Barrel Finish Sour Mash review.
I want to thank my friend Ryan B. for his generosity in providing a sample and the wonderful photo.
Is It A Requirement For Bourbon
No, toasting barrels is not a requirement for bourbon. According to regulations, bourbon whiskey must be aged inside new oak barrels, but they dont specify if the barrels need to be charred or toasted.
Although its not a requirement, some brands still incorporate maturing whiskeys inside toasted barrels to bring forth unique, unconventional flavors.
This comes at an additional cost to their production process, so youll notice that toasted barrel bourbons are slightly more expensive than bourbons that have aged the traditional way. But why is bourbon called bourbon?
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Michters Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 10 Years Old
Buy Here:$512
The Whiskey:
The juice in this bottle is a little under wrap. Michters is currently distilling and aging its own whiskey, but this is still sourced. The actual barrels sourced for these single barrel expressions tend to be at least ten years old with some rumored to be closer to 15 years old . Either way, the juice goes through Michters bespoke filtration process before a touch of Kentuckys iconic soft limestone water is added, bringing the bourbon down to a very crushable 94.4 proof.
Tasting Notes:
The nose draws you in with big notes of fresh leather, sweet cedar bark, tart cherries and currant, burnt orange, salted caramel, spiced Christmas cake, and a hint of blackberry jam on a stack of sourdough pancakes grilled off in butter . The taste leans into a lush vanilla tobacco warm with dark chocolate-covered espresso beans next to marzipan, orange blossoms, and brandy-soaked cherries with a hint of black pepper spice. The finish is velvety and supple with a black cherry and cinnamon/nutmeg spiced tobacco leaf braided with old wicker canes and dry cedar bark next to orchard wood and burnt marshmallows.
Who Its Perfect For:
This bottle is perfect for the whiskey drinker who loves classic vibes and deep complexity from a beloved brand.
George Dickel Tennessee Bottled In Bond Whisky Fall 2008 Aged 13 Years
Buy Here:$43
The Whisky:
Nicole Austin has been killing it with these bottled-in-bond releases from George Dickel. This release is a whiskey that was warehoused in the fall of 2008. 13 years later, this juice was bottled at 100 proof and left to rest. This fall, new releases of that Tennessee juice were sent out to much acclaim.
Tasting Notes:
Another classic nose! Maple syrup on buttery pecan waffles leads toward apple chips, old leather, and a mix of winter spices and sour cherry vanilla wafers. The palate leans into an apple pie with plenty of nuts, spices, and raisins next to malted vanilla milkshakes, blueberry cotton candy, and a hint of dark chocolate milk powder. The end has a hint of dry anise mixed with cherry and brown sugar with a slight nuttiness leading toward a cherry-cinnamon tobacco finish.
Who Its Perfect For:
This is a great whiskey for a whiskey aficionado who knows all the awards bourbons and niche stuff thats actually really good for a great price.
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What Is Toasted Barrel Bourbon Answered
Last Updated on December 6, 2022 by Lydia Martin
As far as regulations go, bourbon whiskey must mature inside new oak barrels for it to qualify as bourbon. Most of the time, the oak barrels used are charred, with the charring done by coopers.
Depending on the desired char levels, they subject the barrels interior to literal flames for about a minute or so.
However, there seems to be a new kid on the block whos hell-bent on giving charred oak barrels a run for their money: the toasted barrel.
What is a toasted barrel bourbon, and how does it differ from the traditional charred oak barrel bourbons? Well talk about that in todays article.
Tequila Reposado Pint 375ml
$ 15.99
“This tequila is crafted using 8-12 year old 100% Weber blue agave and is matured in American and French Oak barrels for no less than six months. This rich liquid…
“Surprisingly floral and delicate, this workhorse silver tequila has a pleasing agave aroma and a crisp, peppy flavor profile with touches of vanilla and white pepper. Margarita material.” – 91 Points, Wine Enthusiast
“Surprisingly floral and delicate, this workhorse silver tequila has a pleasing agave aroma and a crisp, peppy flavor profile with touches of vanilla and white pepper. Margarita material.” – 91 Points, Wine Enthusiast
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Wheel Horse Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon
The Wheel Horse Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon is a limited edition bottle from the label.
There are only 150 cases for their 2022 release, with the bourbon whiskeys pulled from three toasted barrels that have been aging for at least four years. These are non-chill filtered and bottled at a whopping 101 proof.
We expected more heat from its high proof, but we found this quite mellow and tame. It has a great balance of sugar and spice, with brown sugar and molasses tickling the tongue.
Nv 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon
$ 10.99 $ 14.00
“Cozy up with an approachable red that’s anything but boring. This Cabernet Sauvignon boasts comforting aromas of rich coffee and juicy dark cherry, emboldened by a tantalizing undercurrent of spicy…
“Using 100% Weber blue agave, picked at their peak anywhere from 8-12 years old Añejo is aged in French Oak barrels for a minimum of 14 months. Its…
“A crystal-clear Añejo tequila with deceptive depth, presented in a stunning crystalline bottle. Since releasing the first Añejo tequila on the market in 1800 Añejo, 1800 continues to drive innovation…
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Blackened X Wes Henderson Master Of Whiskey Series
Buy Here:$179
The Whiskey:
This new collaboration from Metallicas whiskey finds Master Distillers Rob Dietrich of BLACKENED working with Wes Henderson, Co-Founder of Angels Envy, to create a new expression. The whiskey is a classic Kentucky bourbon aged for six years. Those barrels are vatted and then refilled into white port wine casks for a final rest. Finally, the port barrels are batched and the whiskey is bottled at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Theres a good bit of fruit on the nose with pear skins, rum-raisin, and burnt orange next to dried-up old cinnamon sticks and tobacco leaves. The palate stews the pear with honey and wintry spices while a hint of dried chili flake leads to walnut cake and a very mild echo of old wet straw. The end is lush and full of oranges studded with cloves and allspice next to pear tobacco and old cedar humidors.
Who Its Perfect For:
Is there a Metallica fan in your life? This is the gift for them.
Wild Turkey Masters Keep Bottled In Bond
Buy Here:$899
The Whiskey:
This is the same whiskey as Masters Keep 17-Year. In this case, after vatting of minimum-17-year-old barrels, the whiskey was only proofed down to 50% or 100-proof for bottling as per bottled in bond laws. The resulting whiskey is then bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Theres a bold nose of spicy Christmas cakes spiked with orange oils, candied cherries, and dried apples next to vanilla pods and worn saddle leather that leads to this subtle hint of fresh cinnamon rolls with a cream cheese frosting cut with lemon and vanilla. The palate is the epitome of smoothness with a subtle warmth derived from woody winter spices star anise, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon that then branches toward this whisper of burnt sugars and fats from an old brisket smoker with a hint of salted red taffy and singed marshmallow next to vanilla pound cake with a hint of poppy seeds. The end has a sweet cinnamon candy flourish before smoldering wild sage and old boots arrive with a dark chocolate espresso cherry tobacco layers into an old cedar box with a hint of black dirt lurking in the distant background.
Who Its Perfect For:
This is the mountaintop of the Wild Turkey line, so if you know someone who loves Turkey, this is the play.
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