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No Two Sips of Barrell Dovetail Bourbon are the Same

By Jacob Osborn - News Published: , Last Updated:

As one of bourbon’s foremost independent bottlers, Barrell Craft Spirits keeps the quality high and the surprises coming. The brand’s blending and finishing programs are second to none, which helps explain the widespread popularity and endless slate of awards. Far more than your standard producer, Barrell takes a curatorial approach before putting its signature stamp on every statement and then bottling it at cask strength.

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barrell bourbon

For a prime example of what this incredible brand is all about, look no further than Barrell Dovetail Bourbon. Almost a year in the making, it blends 10-year-old MGP whiskey that’s been finished in Dunn Vineyards Cabernet barrels with 11-year-old Tennessee bourbon that’s been finished in blackstrap rum casks and LBV Port Pipes. Robust in colour and character alike, it’s everything you want out of modern whiskey.

barrell dovetail bourbon

Given Dovetail’s wide-reaching origins, you might expect new dimensions and flavours in every dram. Well, prepare to have those expectations met. In fact, no two sips of this luscious spirit are exactly the same. Sometimes it sits like melted caramel on the palate, while other sips reveal complex layers of vanilla, grapefruit peel, dark cherry, red wine, and spice. The finish is likewise dynamic as it alternates between smooth, spicy, and sweet.

All this said, certain notes and characteristics persist from one dram to the next. That starts with a wonderful nose of sweet custard, smoked fruit, vanilla, a touch of leather, and subtle herbaceousness. On any given sip, you might find notes of dark cherry, vanilla, burnt molasses, citrus peel, cola, peppercorn, and wine. It trails out on a finish of jelly, honey, and hazelnut, with delicate traces of mint and herb.

barrell bourbon

Meanwhile, Dovetail is but one amongst a slew of special releases from Barrell Craft Spirits. Unafraid to experiment, the brand steps outside the box to achieve consistently rewarding results. Take the Inifinite Barrell Project, for example, which puts fractions of numerous whiskeys within a single blend. One could even say that Barrell’s standard “batch number” releases are likewise special, in that they’re limited in supply and always unique.

At the end of the day, you just never know what you’ll get from this award-winning brand. What you do know is that it will be bottled at cask strength and bursting with flavour. That alone makes it worth the journey.

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Alcohol, Bourbon, Whisky
Jacob Osborn
Staff Writer

Jacob Osborn

Jacob Osborn is an accomplished author and journalist with over 10 years of experience in the media industry. He holds a Bachelor's degree in English and Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin--Madison and co-authored a Young Adult novel through Simon & Schuster. Now based in Portland, Oregon, Jacob specialises in entertainment, technology and alcohol reporting. You might find him crate-digging at the nearest record store or sampling whisky at the nearest bar. He daydreams of travelling around the world, but for now, the world will have to come to him by way of lifestyle products, gear, gadgetry, and entertainment. Let's call it a happy compromise while he saves up for the next big trip.

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