“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.

BLEND COMPONENTS: Indiana: 5, 6, 7 & 10 years old | Kentucky: 5 years old

DERIVED MASH BILL:Corn: 75% | Rye: 21% | Malted Barley: 4%

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 mash bills with different char levels finished in sustainable Amburana casks. A vatting of individual casks without finishing was layered in to add depth, richness, and complexity, ensuring the bourbon shines through first and foremost.

Flavor Notes

An intense baking spice character centered around cinnamon fills every nook and cranny of the tasting experience. It’s a veil through which one experiences the aromas of chocolate, walnut, and toasted sourdough. The palate too has a narrative driven by cinnamon and spicy ginger beer with cameos from marmalade, tarragon, and hefeweizen. A healthy splash of water foregrounds passionfruit, goldenrod, and honeycomb.

Appearance: Russet

Nose: Cinnamon, and a lot of it. Along with other baking spices it suffuses nearly every other aroma. Heavily spiced horchata, café de olla, and banana bread all feature

Palate: The texture is rich and buttery. Here, too, those oak-derived spices predominate, with licorice root joining the assemblage. Pumpkin pie is reinforced by masala chai and ginger beer. More traditional bourbon flavors of tarragon, verjus, and lemon meringue pie keep the oak in check.

Finish: An array of citrus peels welcome in cider apple and dirty martini. Sweeter than the palate, notes of hefeweizen and dark cuban rum persist on the tongue thanks to some grippy tannin. With a splash of spring water

The sweet and savory balance begins to teeter. As sweetness gains the upper hand one finds white chocolate, honeycomb and graham cracker. Then it seesaws the other way revealing sugar-snap pea and skillet cornbread. A bit of the underlying whisky surfaces here to show off honeydew melon, passionfruit, and jasmine. The palate paints a botanical portrait with strokes of lilac and chive blossom. It’s anchored in loamy soil with a salty streak along the finish.

Embrace the dawn of a new era with Barrell Bourbon New Year 2024: a celebration of fresh beginnings. This limited-edition release represents innovation and the excitement of starting anew. It marries various straight bourbons, from Kentucky's 8-year-old elegance to Wyoming's 11-year-old richness and New York's vibrant 5-year-old spirit. The result is a symphony of unique flavors, harmoniously bold. This cask-strength bourbon showcases the art of blending, offering a chestnut-hued elixir with a nose reminiscent of classic bourbon notes such as brioche and caramel. Its palate carries the promise of the year ahead. Whether toasting to the New Year or a special milestone, Barrell Bourbon New Year 2024 invites you to savor each sip and raise your glass to the future.