Barrell Craft Spirits recently launched its new Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series.
The limited-edition series utilizes the company’s blending and finishing expertise to make bespoke blends of straight bourbon whiskeys with unique finishes. The Cask Finish Series will introduce two blends each year, beginning with the launch of the first two blends this fall: Amburana and A Tale of Two Islands.
Amburana is a blend of Indiana (5, 6, 7, & 10-year) and Kentucky (5-year) bourbon whiskeys, which were further matured in sustainable Amburana casks. These casks are challenging to work with as they impart strong cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and vanilla spice notes. Blending expertise is required to enhance the bourbon with Amburana and maintain balance. The Barrell Craft Spirits blending team created a bourbon blend of two mashbills with different char levels finished in Amburana casks. A vatting of individual casks without finishing was then layered in to add depth, richness, and complexity. Featuring a derived mash bill of corn (75%), rye (21%) and malted barley (4%), the blend was bottled at cask strength (116.42 proof).
The second blend in the Cask Finish Series builds upon Barrell Craft Spirits’ 2018 Tale of Two Islands Rum: a Jamaican Rum matured in peated Islay single malt casks. For the 2023 Tale of Two Islands offering, Barrell Craft chose to feature a blend of straight bourbons from Indiana (5, 6, & 9-year) and Maryland (5 & 6-year). The team then used the empty casks from the 2018 offering to finish the blend of straight bourbons. The sweetness of the rum and the smokiness of the Islay casks mingle together with the underlying bourbon for a classic bourbon. With a derived mash bill of corn (73%), rye (23%), and malted barley (4%), the blend was bottled at cask strength (118.22 proof).
“We’re thrilled to continue our 10-year legacy of developing sought-after award-winning blends that push the boundaries of American whiskey,” said Barrell Craft Spirits Founder Joe Beatrice. “The intent for this Series is to produce unique blends that showcase the finishing cask, while respecting the underlying bourbon blend.”
Both Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series expressions, Amburana and A Tale of Two Islands, are available for $89.99.
