Whiskey finished in rum, port, and Dunn Vineyards cabernet barrels. Distilled in Indiana, Tennessee and Canada

AWARDS​: Wine Enthusiast rating of 96

Over the past several years, Barrell Dovetail has become a highly regarded expression within our portfolio of products and the American 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, as with all our Gray Label offerings, is that we used older and more rare barrels in Gray Label Dovetail. 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.

An ester-forward bourbon with the brooding depth of cabernet and port casks. The varied distillates and casks come together into a complex palate that showcases the cola notes of whiskey that’s spent many years in oak.​

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 031 is a blend of 6, 7, 10, 15 and 16-year-old barrels. The blend was built around the sweetness in a group of 99% corn bourbon barrels and a group of wheated bourbon barrels. To bridge these two groupings, we layered in 15 and 16-year-old barrels for their gentle nuttiness and oak. Finally, a selection of 10-year-old barrels was added to bring notes of milk chocolate and tropical fruit.

BCS Gray Label Seagrass is born from 16-year-old Canadian Rye barrels, divided into two distinct profiles – one with citrus and green apple notes, the other with spearmint. Some from each group undergo unique finishes in Apricot Brandy, Martinique rhum, and Malmsey Madeira casks. The final blend marries these flavors when they peak during secondary maturation. This deeply mature rye whiskey boasts a classic grassy aroma with fresh Rhum Agricole notes. On the palate, the oily rye meets nutty madeira character and apricot brandy brightness, concluding with maritime minerality.

Appearance: Rich golden straw.

Nose: Rye spices, toast, and Rhum Agricole's grassy notes, with oak expressions of tobacco and coffee.

Palate: Extremely oily with peanut, coconut, and tea tree oils, evolving into creaminess with soy milk. Notes of lemonade and sunflower seeds nod to the madeira barrels.

Finish: Apricot brandy casks bring passionfruit and plum, while minerality combines with chalk dust, flint, paraffin, and cedar smoke.

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.