New Year. New beginnings. New traditions. The new year is a time of renewal and fresh starts, a chance to reflect on past accomplishments and look to what lies ahead. Barrell New Year Bourbon 2025 celebrates the possibilities and optimism that every new year brings.

Dovetail is blended to highlight some of our favorite flavors. Woody bourbon; terroir driven Dunn Cabernet; toasted French oak; Late Bottled Vintage Port pipes; black strap molasses casks; all working in tandem to create a buttery and deep whiskey as unique as it is delicious. 

TASTING NOTES

Appearance: Rose gold with highlights of worn copper.

Nose: Opens with mature aromas both sweet (canelé, panna cotta, crème de noyaux) and savory (walnut oil, leather). This is followed quickly by a vast array of fruit derived both from the spirit (smoked apricot, grapefruit peel) as well as the cask treatment (sloe gin, damson jam). The aroma is high toned, pungently floral and herbaceous, with subtle, balancing pops of minerality.

Palate: Darker (cocoa, molasses, burnt marshmallow) and spicier (cola, nutmeg, Tellicherry peppercorn) than the nose, an effect well-complemented by the cask treatment and rendered more complex by the savory and herbaceous themes running throughout.

Finish: A sweet and elegant signature of rose jelly, chestnut honey, and Pineau des Charentes that also features hazelnut, eucalyptus, and Corsican mint.

AWARDS​​

BEST SPECIAL BARREL-FINISHED WHISKEY at the Ascot Awards - 2021

DOUBLE PLATINUM at the ASCOT Awards - 2021

BEST AMERICAN WHISKEY at the John Barleycorn Awards - 2021

DOUBLE GOLD at the John Barleycorn Awards - 2021

CHAIRMAN'S TROPHY at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge - 2020

TOP 100 SPIRITS (97 POINTS) at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge - 2020

Double Gold (96 POINTS) at the New York International Spirits Competition - 2020

Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition - 2019

Gold (Whiskey: Barrel Finished category) at Whiskies of the World - 2019

Whisky Advocate rating of 90

We partnered with small and large producers across the country to select whiskeys that express the full diversity of American terroir and style. The resulting blend is remarkable, and we are proud to be the first to showcase the growing category of American single malt in this way. 

We chose the name “American Vatted Malt” as an homage to the old Scottish category of vatted malt, which was once the preferred nomenclature to describe a blended whisky made entirely from single malts. Today, the Scots refer to that style as blended malt, but affection for the term “vatted” lives on.

As a new category, American single malt producers are notoriously creative, looking to their local environment and regional traditions to create distinctive whiskeys. That meant the blend was a challenging one technically, as it asked us to bring together a plethora of unique components. Never before have we strived to balance the distinctive tang of Southwestern mesquite smoke with the sweet and creamy maltiness of malted barley, or contrast briny coastal peat with the warm vanilla character of toasted oak. The resulting blend is complex and multi-faceted, rewarding the drinker with unfolding layers of flavor. 

This first release of American Vatted Malt was years in the making, as many of the components in the blend come from emerging distilleries that have never traded or sold bulk whiskey before. The physical and logistical work of sourcing and blending with a group of small, independent producers is neither easy nor short, but we believe it lays the groundwork for a new, exciting, and collaborative future. Some of our collaborators have asked to remain anonymous, but the core group of participants includes:

•    Balcones Distillery, Waco, Texas

•    Hamilton Distillers Del Bac, Tucson, Arizona

•    MGP, Lawrenceburg, Indiana

•    Harvest Distillery, Valatie, New York

•    Santa Fe Distillery, Santa Fe, New Mexico

•    Kings County Distillery, Brooklyn, New York

We look forward to continuing to work with this group of innovative whiskey producers while searching out new partners for future releases of Barrell Craft Spirits Vatted Malt. In addition to expanding our ever-growing portfolio of spirits, this new project is an important step in advancing our vision of the next chapter of whiskey in America. 

AWARDS​

Whisky Advocate rating of 88

Barrell Bourbon Batch 022 is a marriage of two separate and iconic styles of Bourbon: Classily dry and woody Kentucky Bourbon, and floral, herbaceous, and sweet Indiana Bourbon. The final blend was constructed from four separate lots, each with its own nuanced family of flavors. Much like Batches 007, 011, and 013, Batch 022 incorporates the freshness of some carefully chosen, younger barrels to bring a more extensive set of flavors and aromas to the table. 

Tasting Notes

Appearance: An old leather belt with a polished brass buckle. 

Nose: The rye grain is most immediate, presenting as Yellow Chartreuse and expanding in the direction of juniper berry, cream of fennel soup, and angelica. Woven throughout are delicate florals, alternating between elderflower and wintergreen. Gooseberry jam, kiwi and white peach emerge as a subtle fruitiness. Well-integrated oak lays a gentle foundation of Florentine cookie, vanilla toffee and cola. With time, other themes develop, such as sweet beehive and a savory or umami quality.

Palate: A rich entry- oily and sweet. The creamy texture evokes flan and cappuccino. The oak guides the flavor with sweet tea, s’more, and sugar cane. Root beer and cinchona bark ensure the rye spice is not neglected. Meanwhile, the underlying spirit provides honeysuckle, honeydew melon and candied apricot.​

Finish: The sweet tea lingers, accompanied by chicory cafe au lait and Cherry Heering. It fades delicately on rhubarb and peppermint candy.

AWARDS​

San Francisco World Spirits Competition - 2020 - (GOLD)

Ultimate Spirits Challenge - 2020 (TOP 100 SPIRITS​, FINALIST (96 POINTS))

Maker Notes

Armida is a blend of three Straight Bourbon Whiskeys finished separately in pear brandy, Jamaican rum, and Sicilian amaro casks. Each release is blended to taste and bottled at true cask strength, resulting in subtle proof variations between blends. Elegant, lush, and multidimensional, Armida offers pleasures as rare as a perfect piece of tree-ripened fruit. 

Pears are all about timing. Ripeness can’t be rushed. And once it’s arrived, it can’t be postponed, either. How do you know? By paying close attention, using your senses to tell when the flavor and texture are just right, and then trusting your instincts to catch the perfect moment.

In that sense, ripening pears is a lot like making whiskey. Inspired by the care and attention of great orchardists, we created Armida as a celebration of fall flavors. It’s a blend of three straight bourbon whiskeys finished separately in pear brandy, Jamaican rum, and Sicilian amaro casks. The ripe floral notes of the pear brandy usher in a palate rich with tropical sweetness and studded with dried citrus and spice. We release it once a year, right when the first pears appear in markets — and just like ephemeral autumn fruits, it’s only available for a limited time. 

While constructing the blend for this whiskey, Joe was taken by how nostalgic some of the combinations of flavors were. Joe’s mother’s family had a farm in the northeast where he would often spend time in the summer and autumn. These brisk, orchard fruit memories inspired many of the first test blends and so, Joe named the project after his mother’s formal name, Armida.

FLAVOR NOTES

Appearance: Bright gold with a pale rim.

Nose: Opens with creamy and sweet notes of carrot cake, dulce de leche, and chestnut honey. The pear brandy’s influence inflects the core aroma, with poached pear leading blackberry and dried lime peel. Shimmering at the edges are countless herbs and dusty spices. Notes familiar to Sicilian amari, such as fennel seed, aniseed, nutmeg, and cacao are there. As Sicily was once part of the Duchy of Savoy licorice, wormwood and chamomile are encountered here, in Savoy’s tradition of genepy and absinthe.

Palate: Lush sweetness is kept in check by some sandy tannin and high strength. Here, the rum takes center stage, with blackstrap molasses, sambuca, and olive brine arriving first. The rich dark character builds with date and chipotle leading into pipe tobacco and walnut. The amaro is never far behind, exhibiting licorice root, gentian, green cardamom and kola nut.

Finish: Green almond enriches an otherwise dry finish of black tea and slate.

AWARDS​​​

Best Unique Barrel-Finished Bourbon at the L.A. Spirits Awards -2022

Platinum at the L.A. Spirits Awards -2022

Wine Enthusiast Rating of 95

94 POINTS at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge - 2021

Gold at the John Barleycorn Awards - 2021

Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition - 2021

Seagrass highlights the grassy oceanside notes we love in rye and the opulence and spice of finishing barrels. It is a blend of American and Canadian rye whiskeys, with each ingredient meticulously sourced and finished separately in Martinique Rhum, Madeira & apricot brandy barrels. BCS is proud to announce a collaboration with The Ocean Foundation. Special hangtags will be placed on select bottles of Barrell Seagrass. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these bottles will be donated to The Ocean Foundation to contribute to the conservation and restoration of seagrass.

Barrell Bourbon Batch 030 began with a group of tropical fruit forward 5-year-old Indiana barrels, a group of stone fruit forward 10-year-old high-rye Tennessee barrels, and a group of nutty 6, 9, 11, and 15-year-old barrels. After mingling separately for a month, they were carefully blended together. Finally, wheated bourbon from Kentucky and Wyoming was added to enhance the complexity of the blend.

Barrell Bourbon Batch 032 began with a balance of two sets of barrels: a selection of 5 and 6-year-old barrels with a creamy and tropical profile and a selection of 6, 7 and 10-year-old barrels vatted for their complex, old, woody character. These two sets of barrels were slowly blended over three months. A small group of spice driven 7-year-old barrels with notes of cinnamon toast, coffee bean and chocolate were then carefully added to complete the blend. The result is a decadent and rich bourbon with layers of spice and nuttiness

Barrell Craft Spirits in Louisville, KY has created a limited release whiskey called Barrell DSX2 PX Cask Whiskey. It is a blend of different whiskeys, including a 14-year-old Indiana whiskey as the base, along with 18-year-old Kentucky whiskey, bourbon, and rye to enhance its complexity. The whiskey was then finished in a Pedro Ximénez sherry cask for a period of 2-6 months. This finishing process adds sweet and rich flavors of dried fig, raisin, and toffee to the whiskey.

Barrell DSX2 PX Cask Whiskey has received recognition for its quality, being a finalist at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge with a score of 91 points and winning a Double Gold medal at the New York International Spirits Competition in 2022. It is non-chill filtered and bottled at a cask strength of 62.04% ABV.

The Barrell Private Release Series, of which DSX2 is a part, showcases the art of blending, where each component and the barrel in which they are aged contribute to the unique character of each bottling.

Rye whiskey finished in Martinique rhum, Madeira, and apricot brandy casks.

Two sets of 20-year-old 100% Canadian Rye barrels were used as the foundation of Gold Label Seagrass - one with bright citrus notes and the other with earthy notes. A portion of the first group was finished in Apricot Brandy casks, a portion of the second group was finished in Martinique rhum barrels, and a blend of the first and second groups was finished in Malmsey Madeira barrels. When each set of secondary maturation flavors peaked, those casks were pulled and slowly married into the final blend.

Gold Label Seagrass represents the pinnacle of Barrell Craft Spirits’ Seagrass series. It is clear from the nose that this Rye Whiskey is old and layered, with savory, herbaceous notes behind the trademark Seagrass tropical freshness. All in all, this whiskey is remarkably flavorful, showcasing the best of the Seagrass profile in a whiskey that can only be made this complex with time in the barrel.

Appearance: Rose gold with flashes of sunflower yellow.

Nose: Classic Canadian rye notes of white flower, toasted grains, and bright honey. As it sits in the glass, toasty tropical notes of apricot and roasted pineapple present themselves. Nutty, raisin-like madeira shows here too, as does a subtle wild-grassy freshness. After a minute, toasted hazelnut and orange blossom drift into focus.

Palate: Ripe Meyer lemon and clover honey show first, with fresh basil and perfectly ripe pineapple taking over in the mid-palate. There are glimmers of deeply aged rye, as this layered whiskey evolves sip to sip. Moments of heat are balanced with a viscous sweetness, brightened by the natural acidity of the Malmsey Madeira finish. Black pepper is present too, as this is a cask strength rye, but the tropical notes win out until the finish.

Finish: A touch of classic rye spice presents itself on the finish, with exotic pink peppercorn and Mediterranean herbs including fresh oregano and sun-dried rosemary. The spice is tempered by a sweet, apricot-dominated viscosity drawing out the finish. Finally, tropical sweetness subsides into more classic mature whiskey notes like leather and nutmeg, leaving your palate with lemon, honey, and cracked black pepper.

Over the past several years, Barrell Dovetail has become a well-known expression within our portfolio of products and the Whiskey world. Recently, we became intrigued with applying the concept of "Dovetail" to some of our older stocks.

The result is BCS Gray Label Dovetail, which still boasts our award-winning blend of Whiskey finished in rum, port and Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Barrels and uses the same finishing and blending method. The difference however, as with all our Gray Label offerings, is that we used older and more rare barrels.

The result harmoniously unites a dark and fruity California cabernet finish, a jammy and pleasurable port finish, and a sweet and funky rum finish to create a well-balanced, iconic whiskey. The component whiskeys are aged up to 20 years, making the final blend significantly more elegant.

* Finished in rum, port, and Dunn Vineyards cabernet barrels
* Distilled in Indiana, Tennessee and Canada
* Aged in the US and Canada​
* Crafted and bottled in Kentucky
* 131.54 proof cask strength bottling

TASTING NOTES

Appearance: Warm Amber.

​Nose: Green grape, tart apple, and pollen lead into one very vivid note of just-pressed cider. The notes of gooseberry jam, cranberry sauce, and dried apricot are pronounced and defined. Maple walnut ice cream, tahini, and leather provide a subtle, savory undertone.

​Palate: Robust and impeccably balanced, with flavors ranging from strawberry rhubarb pie to fennel pollen. Flan and coconut oil provide a rich and creamy texture that balances some light sandy tannin and modest astringency. Depth seems to come mostly from the oldest Canadian whiskeys, in the form of fennel, poppy seed and peppercorn. Allspice, ginger, and cola notes from the French and American oak round it out.

​Finish: A burst of licorice candy and molasses gives way to
Earl Grey Tea with honey. The palate is left with a range of dusty mineral notes, among them necco wafers, oyster shell, and squid ink.

​With a splash of spring water: Classical notes of crème brulée and funnel cake take the lead. The complexity here is more savory, with shiso, tomato, and tajin. An unexpected burst of lychee on the finish yields to charcoal and paraffin.

Barrell Bourbon Batch 033 is a marriage of high-rye barrels and high-corn barrels ranging in age from 5 to 9 years old. The high-rye barrels were chosen for their distinct stone fruit, black pepper, and nutmeg notes. The high-corn barrels were chosen for their rich butterscotch, coffee, and citrus notes. Two sets of barrels mingled together for two months, then the balance was adjusted for the most optimal combination.

• A blend of straight Bourbon Whiskeys

• Distilled and aged in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana

• Selection of 5, 6, 7, and 9-year-old barrels

• Aged in American white oak barrels

• Bottled in Kentucky

• 116.6 proof cask strength bottling

FLAVOR NOTES

Barrell Bourbon Batch 033 displays all the complexity of a blend of different distillates given time to blossom. Barrel character adds some diverse leafy notes at the margins without an overabundance of extractive woody or spice notes.

Appearance: Citrine set in yellow gold.

​Nose: Pear, lemon meringue, and shoofly pie set the stage for a bourbon deftly balanced between freshness and maturity. A bouquet of jasmine, nasturtium, and dandelion speak to a youthful exuberance, while peppermint and gentian root depict an oak barrel just creeping in. A gentle savory character expands into edamame, macadamia nut, and mesquite smoke.

​Palate: Champagne, applesauce, and candied grapefruit peel show ample maturity without an excessive oak. The baking spice character is dialed up slightly, exhibiting cocoa powder, allspice, star anise, and juniper.

​Finish: A burst of heat rides a wave of minerals across the palate that include limestone, beach sand, and salt-water taffy. Geranium, elderflower, and chamomile reinforce the nose’s bouquet. The finish fades to the slightly bitter prickle of returning gentian root and lime peel, wiping the palate clean.

​With a splash of spring water

The palate grows much more viscous; it’s rich and sweet with vanilla buttercream. The savory notes intensify, with pickled caper, fried mushroom and hush puppies leading the way. The fruity notes expand dramatically to include nectarine, honeydew melon, passionfruit, and coconut cream.

“Over the past several years, Dovetail has become a highly regarded expression within the BCS portfolio of products and the American Whiskey world,” said BCS Founder Joe Beatrice. “Following the recent success of BCS Gray Label Dovetail, we decided to apply the concept of ‘Dovetail’ to our oldest, rarest stocks. We left these component whiskeys in their finishing casks even longer and included some very high proof barrels to create a blend with an intensity matched only by its nuance and layering.”

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 they 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.

Barrell Bourbon Batch 034 is a blend of 6, 8, 10, and 15-year-old barrels. 8-year-old barrels driven by strong hazelnut and dark cherry notes lay a foundation enhanced by high-corn barrels showing browned butter and apricot. We mingled this first step for months before adding high-rye barrels carrying cinnamon and allspice. Finally, a vatting of 10 and 15-year-old barrels was added for earthiness and light tannin. The result is a robust and sophisticated bourbon.

BLEND COMPONENTS: Indiana: 6 years old | Tennessee:8, 10 and 15 years old | Kentucky:8 years old

DERIVED MASH BILL: Corn: 79% | Rye: 17% | Malted Barley: 4%

Flavor Notes

The nose is deftly balanced between the exuberant fresh fruit of youth and the oxidized, dried fruit of maturity. This dynamic tension carries over to the palate where rich port notes are supported by bright Seville orange and cola.

Appearance: Copper with rose gold highlights

Nose: Eggnog and madeleines set the stage. Dry, hard cider integrates a range of florals such as elderflower and violet. Over time, the fruit transitions to a more cooked character, displaying dried apricot, candied orange peel, and mulled cider.

Palate: Blackcurrant jam and grape soda start the palate off with focus and depth. More classic notes of cinnamon donut, warm cola, and pecan pie emerge. Fresh notes of green grape and Seville orange are followed by umami, and salt.

Finish: A modest amount of sandy tannin sustains notes of shiso, licorice root, and fudgy peanut butter cup through a lengthy finish. There is an additional pop of iron and slate.

The tradition of keeping an infinity bottle is well known to whiskey collectors and aficionados around the world. In 2018, we introduced the Infinite Barrel Project, to honor the infinity bottle tradition in our own way, and we became the first brand to produce and sell an infinity barrel in the commercial market.

THE INTENT OF THIS PROJECT 

The tradition of keeping an infinity bottle is well known – take the last ounces of each whisk(e)y bottle as you finish it and pour them into a bottle you’ve set aside.

Until 2018, the infinity bottle was largely something that people put together at home, but was done more for fun than flavor. The point of difference for the Barrell Craft Spirits “infinity barrel” was to select barrels for their flavor contribution and complexity and blend them in a larger single, or "Infinite" vessel. At each bottling, we remove a portion of that whiskey and replace it with other barrels that will complement the remaining blend. We then repeat the process - bottling a portion and adding newly selected whiskeys each time. To date, we’ve done 19 bottlings of the Infinite Barrel Project. 

HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM THE SOLERA PROCESS?

Our Infinite Barrel Project contains fractions of many whiskey barrels in a single blend, and we produce a unique blend for every bottling. A solera is designed to create a consistent product every time. At its most basic, the solera process starts with a single barrel or group of barrels of a specific age. A fraction of the first group of barrels is put it in the second group of barrels, a fraction of that second group is put in the third group and so on. The solera process is designed and symmetrical. We think of our Infinite Barrel Project as a solera in reverse. It's unpredictable and asymmetrical, and constantly evolving.

AWARDS​:

> Whisky Advocate rating of 90

> Named Best American Whiskey of 2018 by Fred Minnick in Forbes

This complex 15-year-old bourbon was blended and bottled at peak maturity so you can experience its true flavor. It is a perfect union of grain and barrel, with an old, oaky nose and a deep, honey- maple palate that reveals the lushness of the grain.

Distilled and aged in TN, KY and IN, Crafted and bottled in Kentucky, 105.1 proof cask strength bottling, Mash bill: corn, rye and malted barley​

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Worn leather​

Nose: Incredibly fruity, the nose opens with strawberry salt-water taffy, Bing cherry, and raspberry but more exotic fruits lurk in the depths: prickly pear, lychee, blood orange, grapefruit marmalade, damson plum, even tomato. The fruits nearly overpower subtle herbaceous notes of pizzelle, Maraschino liqueur, Cynar, and pipe tobacco. Its sweetness is kept in check by a hint of paraffin and scorched earth.​

Palate: As fruity as the nose, exhibiting strawberry and rose jam, lychee, Maraschino liqueur, and calvados, balanced by très leches cake, hibiscus, and angelica.

Finish: The theme continues on slowly evolving fruit: guava, watermelon, Pink Lady apples; they’re joined by a touch of paraffin from the nose and a spicy signature of candied chili pepper.

With a splash of spring water: Those nose grows beguilingly perfumed, notes of apple blossom, hyacinth, applewood smoke and mulled cider released from the overbearing fruitiness, which has developed a more tropical character in the form of pineapple, mango and papaya. The palate becomes fuller and brighter, notes of mango and peach nectar overlay fresh ginger. Almond milk and white chocolate on the finish are given lift by spearmint.