PLUS: Bonus 100ml Gray Label WHA Private Release Toasted American Oak & Barbados Rum Finish.
A harmonious blend of 18-year Kentucky whiskey finished in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels and Canadian whiskies aged 23 to 25 years finished in Sauternes barrels. Cabernet red wine barrels bring structure and dark-toned warmth; Sauternes wine barrels, the revered sweet wine from Bordeaux, add a soft, golden richness. Together they shape an elegant, sophisticated whiskey with a long, measured finish.
Delicately balancing Kentucky whiskey with Canadian has produced enormous fruity complexity and earthy depth without being drowned out by oak. The finishing casks are subtle and well-integrated, bringing out different characteristics of the distillate. This is a rich and syrupy whiskey that smells of pawpaw and cherry pie and tastes of apricot jam and a Belgian Tripel.
Tasting Notes:
Appearance: Rose gold.
Nose: A fistful of gummy bears with a whole jumble of different fruit notes. They start bright and simple: green apple, peach, cranberry. With time, they soften and commingle with the whiskey revealing pina colada, key lime pie, and Christmas fruitcake. Beneath all the exuberant honey and eucalyptus lies a trace of umami.
Palate: Sauternes has tugged the profile in the direction of honey, Mirabelle plum, and pollen. The oak is unobtrusive and allows a creamy, mellow distillate to predominate in the form of coconut milk, roasted chestnut, and Belgian Tripel-style beer. A touch of acidity reinforces notes of fresh apple and watermelon candy to keep it tasting bright.
Finish: Fresher fruit notes like Rainier cherry, white currant, and gooseberry. There’s a bit of resin lingering, the hops from that Tripel, a kiss of gentian, and a wisp of incense. As the fruit evaporates, it leaves behind the mineral prickle of chalk.
With A Splash of Water: The whiskey really starts to show its age here, gaining depth and an expanding earthy side. The fruits appear paradoxically more concentrated, such as apricot jam, golden raisin and orange creamsicle. The palate, no longer checked by heat, is almost liqueur-like in thickness. The cabernet notes float to the fore as hibiscus, pomegranate, and plum paste. Black pepper and graphite also bridge the gap between wine and whiskey.
"Cherry and plum aromas mix with the sweetness of maple syrup and cinnamon on the nose. On the palate, the flavors start out rich—with caramel fudge nuttiness (like a turtle praline)—then move to jammy-sweet fruitiness—then evolve into a spicy mix of cinnamon, clove, and red pepper—before turning caramel buttery rich again toward the finish. It's a bit of a ride, but the flavors intensify by the sip." - Amanda Schuster, Distiller (92 Points)
"Barrell Craft Spirits takes its wine cask-finishing skills to a new level with this one, its oldest wine cask-finished whiskey to date. This blend of Kentucky and Canadian whiskies has a nose of marshmallow, vanilla, herbs, honeyed apricots, and earthiness. A smoothly textured, creamy, and thickly layered palate features peanuts, honey, raspberry jam, and dark chocolate, leading to a long and warming finish." - David Fleming, Whisky Advocate (93 Points)
