Banana soufflé | Oak | Vanilla | Light nutmeg | Hay | Honey | Faint rose petal

Vanilla syrup | Rye spice | Baking spices | Caramel cream | Fresh oak | White peppercorn

Oak | Leather | Light rye spice | Faint honey | Touch of vanilla

Peaky Blinders is a British historical crime drama that ran for six seasons from 2012-2022. The whiskey was brought to life thanks to a collaboration between Barrel Global and Banijay Rights, which is the global distribution arm of Banijay Entertainment. It is being billed as the first in a new line of Peaky Blinders branded spirits.

Paying tribute to the Shelby family from the show, the whiskey was sourced from Green River Distillery and aged for 4 years, before being finished for an undisclosed amount of time with Irish whiskey-soaked oak staves. While stave finishing is common, utilizing Irish whiskey-soaked staves is less so. The company states that this finishing was “inspired by the Shelby family heritage and their transatlantic influence in later seasons.”

The Irish whiskey-soaked oak staves show their influence throughout, but in a more subtle way than might be expected. Opening with a distinct banana soufflé scent, the aroma is a mixture of grounded and light, sweet notes, including an intriguing, faint rose petal scent. The midpoint showcases sweet and spicy notes that are delivered with a silky mouthfeel. Ending on more traditional notes of oak, leather, and spice, infusions of honey and vanilla help balance things out and provide for a pleasing ending. While whiskeys with entertainment tie-ins can sometimes be gimmicky, Peaky Binders Bourbon manages to avoid this trope and delivers a pleasing pour that is easy to appreciate.