Review: Barrell Bourbon French Oak Finish 12 Years Old

Just when we thought we had a handle on the many different batches and special label releases, Barrell Craft Spirits threw another curveball at us this fall with a bourbon that, at least now, is a series unto itself. We’ve seen six different releases under the Cask Finish Series, but for reasons that elude me, this new French Oak Finish is a separate thing.

Dig deeper than the name, and it starts to make a little more sense. At 12 years old, this is one of the older age-stated blends from Barrell and a significantly older product than any other Cask Finish release. And since Barrell is known to blend a wide range of ages, chances are pretty good there’s some even older bourbon in this bottle. Regarding said bourbon, Barrell has selected whiskey distilled in the familiar trifecta of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee but added to the mix Wyoming-distilled bourbon, something of an outlier source for the brand. I’m not sure I’ve ever even tasted 12-year-old bourbon from Wyoming.

As for the specific finishing regimen, Barrell is short on details in keeping with other cask finish releases. All we’re told is that the blend ages for an unspecified amount of time in toasted French oak casks. Let’s check this thing out.

Barrell Bourbon French Oak Finish 12 Years Old Review

This one certainly deserves to stand on its own because it’s unlike any Barrell bourbon I’ve encountered. The nose immediately speaks to the age, suggesting a touch more than even the 12 years listed on the label. It’s not as heavily spiced as some French oak-finished expressions with plenty of warm oak tones offering a nice counterbalance to the more energetic elements. Top notes of sandalwood and clove give way to well-worn leather, damp cellar, and roasted pecans. As it opens more, sweet pastry dough, white pepper, and Snickerdoodle cookies add to an impressively rich and layered aroma.

Despite the perception of age on the nose, it drinks with a bit more youthful energy, leading with a bright, gently sweet mélange of allspice, Sichuan peppercorn, and dark caramels. The midpalate delivers more depth and maturity with oak-driven notes of black tea, Thin Mint cookies, and bruleed sugar before a long, silky finish of pralines, cherry juice, and peppery oak. I’ve tasted quite a few standout, French oak-aged bourbons this year, and this ranks among the best. Pity there are only 1500 bottles to go around, but perhaps keeping this one separate from the Cask Finish Series means that we’ll see more of it in the future. Fingers crossed.

108.5 proof.

A / $150

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