Single Barrel, Barrel Strength
Private Selection - Schneider's of Capitol Hill)
35% rye mashbill - OBSO ("rich fruitiness") - aged 10 years, 9 months
59.3% ABV
$60
Color: cloudy, ruddy light brown
Smell: "rich fruitiness" is no lie. There's definitely some cinnamon mixed with some sweet vanilla and honey/maple syrup flavors, but underpinning everything is a delicate "light red fruit" note (think raspberries, strawberries) that's more reminiscent of a good pinot noir than an almost 11 year old bourbon. I could smell this all day - just wild stuff!
Taste: this just can't be 60% alcohol...there's no way. First rush of flavor is all syrupy sweetness and that red fruit again, but this transitions to a cinnamon and mild char kick upon swallowing. Aftertaste is more overtly woody and warm, but by no means astringent or overpowering. Really well balanced nose to tail.Overall: just awesome. Can't recommend this highly enough. If you are friends with your local liquor store, advocate for this program! Obviously barrels will vary by mash bill, yeast strain, etc., but it's insane that you can buy something like this without waiting on a list for 3 years and/or without paying hundreds of dollars. This is every bit (and arguably, more) the whiskey as all of the BTAC 2014 releases I have tried. Super smooth, complex, and just damned tasty!
I'll avoid the comparison element for this review, as this will vary widely depending on the barrel you get. But suffice it to say that this is one of the last great remaining secrets in the bourbon world (along with the Dickel private barrels).
