Barrell Craft Spirits (BCS) launches the latest offering in its Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series: Armagnac. The limited-edition release utilizes the company’s blending expertise to make bespoke blends of straight bourbon whiskeys with unique finishes that showcase the influence of the finishing cask without compromising the integrity of the underlying blend. Previous cask-finished bourbons include Amburana, A Tale of Two Islands Rum Finish, Mizunara, Ice Wine, and P.X. Sherry.
Armagnac, one of the world’s oldest and most characterful brandies, imparts deep complexity when used as a finishing cask—infusing bourbon with notes of dried fruit, burnt sugar, clove, and tobacco. To complement these bold, spicy-fruity characteristics, the BCS blending team carefully selected bourbon whiskeys from Kentucky (10-year), Indiana (7, 8, 11 & 12-year), and Tennessee (9, 13, 14 & 15-year) that would both harmonize with and amplify the Armagnac cask influence. The result is a bourbon that is robust yet elegant, with layers of flavors—from dried plum and dark toffee to warm vanilla—culminating in a long, lingering finish.
Featuring a derived mash bill of corn (78%), rye (18%), and malted barley (4%), the new expression was bottled at cask strength (113 proof / 56.5% ABV) in Kentucky. It will be available for purchase online in September via the BCS website at barrellbourbon.com and in select retailers for the suggested retail price of $84.99 per 750ml bottle.