Rye spice | Charred oak | Peppercorn | Sweet banana | White peach | Caramel | Touches of dark fruits | A sweet & peppery blend of scents

Caramel | Sweet vanilla | Syrup | Raisin | Brown sugar | Oak | Hint of dark fruit | Rich

Tannic oak | Leather | White pepper | Rye grain | Baking spice | Slight hint of vanilla cream | Earthy and grounded with a sprinkling of heat

Like the company’s other bourbon batch releases, Batch 026 is a blend of multiple bourbons of varying ages and mashbills. What’s unusual about this particular release is how it was created. The company first blended 9, 10, and 11 year old barrels that they said focused on “peppery, oak forward, and baking spices,” respectively. They then blended a second batch of 10, 12, and 15 year old barrels that focused on citrus with 9 year old spicy floral barrels. These two batches were then blended together to form the final blend.

Barrell Craft Spirits is like a rock band at the top of their game producing hit after hit. Their releases have earned every word of praise we’ve given them, and Batch 026 is no exception. It’s full of rich bold flavors that are enhanced by its higher proof, yet not too overpowering and still approachable. If you’re a fan of Barrell Bourbon’s past releases you should find plenty to be pleased with here, and if you’re new to the brand, Batch 026 affords a great springboard to explore why this brand deserves the praise they so often receive.