Review: Shortbarrel The Afterswarm II Rye Honey Cask Finish
American whiskey has spent more than a decade experimenting with finishing casks, and the pace hasn’t slowed. Distillers seem locked in a quiet contest to uncover the next captivating angle, whether that means breaking new ground or refining techniques that have already proven their worth. In May 2018, Nelson’s Greenbrier in Nashville introduced Belle Meade Honey Cask Bourbon, a release that helped push honey-conditioned barrels into the broader conversation. From that point forward, bourbon and rye producers alike began exploring what these barrels could offer, sometimes in a straightforward fashion, other times with a more intricate approach.
Shortbarrel’s March 2026 release, The Afterswarm II Double Barrel Toasted Rye, nicknamed “Meadowfoam,” falls squarely into the latter camp. At its core is a blend of two rye whiskeys built from identical mashbills of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. One component comes from MGP in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, making up about 65% of the blend and ranging from 7 to 13 years old. The remaining 35% is distilled by Green River in Owensboro, Kentucky, aged for 6.4 years.
Once combined, the rye underwent its first finishing period in a toasted Kelvin barrel for roughly a year. From there, it moved into a second Kelvin toasted barrel with a #3 char, which had previously held meadowfoam honey for 30 to 60 days. As noted by Shortbarrel, the honey was removed before the whiskey entered the cask, allowing the wood to retain its conditioning without introducing high amounts of residual honey.
Honey cask finishes are hardly unusual at this point, but the choice of meadowfoam honey sets this release apart. Derived from a white flowering plant native to marshes and wetlands along the West Coast, meadowfoam is better known in some circles for the oil pressed from its seeds, often used in wellness and skincare products. For beekeepers, however, the plant’s pollen is especially prized, known to produce honey with notes often associated with marshmallow, vanilla, and occasionally custard. Despite its appeal, meadowfoam honey remains an uncommon ingredient in whiskey production, even among those who regularly work with honey-conditioned barrels.
For Afterswarm II, Shortbarrel sourced its meadowfoam honey from Flying Bee Ranch in Salem, Oregon, a producer that has operated in the Willamette Valley since 1999. This marks a departure from the 2025 Afterswarm release, which relied on polyfloral Georgia wildflower honey to prepare its finishing casks. Both iterations share the same rye foundation, offering a rare opportunity to examine how differing pollen sources influence the final result.
Shortbarrel’s approach invites a broader question: What role can more specialized honey varieties play in shaping the future of cask finishing? With meadowfoam now in the mix, it raises the possibility that honey, much like wine or fortified barrels before it, still has unexplored territory to offer. Let’s pour a glass and find out what all the buzz is about.
Shortbarrel The Afterswarm II Rye Finished in Honey Casks Review
The nose opens with a quick hit of drywall dust that soon shifts into subdued pine needles, then turns toward beeswax candles. Given a few minutes in the glass, an aroma reminiscent of Rice Krispie Treats moves to the forefront before tapering into a light trace of sawdust. The maturity of the underlying rye is apparent, and the honey influence stays in check rather than dominating. In particular, the vanilla note from the meadowfoam honey comes through clearly and adds a pleasing accent.
On the palate, it starts with Orange Coke and Mexican chocolate, then moves into beeswax and cream soda across the midpalate, with the cream soda note again tied to the meadowfoam honey. The mouthfeel is notably dense, allowing the rye to fully coat the palate. The finish brings in black licorice and Maple Nut Goodies candies, along with macaroon cookies and a touch of pine sap.
This serves as one of the more interesting honey cask whiskeys I’ve encountered. The category often centers on bourbon, so the use of a rye base immediately sets it apart. Beyond that, the age of the rye paired with the unique honey cask creates an experience that emphasizes a more pronounced vanilla note than is typically found in similar releases. Blue Note Honey Rye Cask provides another strong example built on a 95% rye and 5% malted barley mashbill, finished in honey casks. Between the two, which one comes out ahead is a question worth considering, especially given the noticeable price gap, with Blue Note sitting at $65.
108.6 proof.
A / $115 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]
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