Barrell Craft Spirits of Louisville, Kentucky, launched the 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. Amburana casks are challenging to work with as they impart strong cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and vanilla spice notes. True blending expertise is required to enhance the bourbon with Amburana and maintain balance. The BCS 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, ensuring the bourbon shines through first and foremost. 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 the legendary BCS 2018 Tale of Two Islands Rum: a Jamaican Rum matured in peated Islay single malt casks. For the 2023 Tale of Two Islands offering, BCS 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 notes of old-fashioned donut and coconut macaron. 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 BCS Founder Joe Beatrice. “The intent for this Series is to produce unique blends that showcase the finishing cask, while respecting the underlying bourbon blend.”
Founded in 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky, BCS selects and blends products that explore different distillation methods, barrels, and aging environments, and bottles them at cask strength. BCS’s extensive stocks of high-quality casks mean it can craft extraordinary blends that maximize the nuances of each ingredient. Creative finishes, a liberated approach to blending, and a deep-seated commitment to releasing each whiskey at cask strength guides every product release.
Both expressions are available for purchase online via the BCS website at barrellbourbon.com and in select retailers later this month for the suggested retail price of $89.99 per 750ml bottle.
The award-winning line of Barrell Craft Spirits releases are currently sold in 49 US states. For more information, follow Barrell Craft Spirits® on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram or visit barrellbourbon.com.