Review: Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series: PX Sherry

The latest in Barrell Bourbon’s Cask Finish Series has arrived, and it has big shoes to fill. The last release, finished in ice wine casks, was so unique and well-built and downright delicious that we named it our #1 whiskey of 2024. That sets the bar pretty high for this sherry-finished follow-up which, on the surface, is showcasing a considerably more traditional profile for the series this time around.

Secondary maturation in sherry is certainly more common in American whiskey than ice wine, which isn’t saying a lot, but it’s ubiquitous overseas. Pedro Ximenez, the particular style of sherry used here, is a little more unique, however, than the more common oloroso. Barrell doesn’t tell us exactly how long PX casks were used to finish their mix of bourbons sourced from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana, but we do know the final bourbon carries a derived mashbill of 80% corn, 16% rye, and 4% malted barley. Well-aged whiskey is once again in the mix with some components clocking in at 10, 12, and even 15 years old. Let’s check it out.

Barrell Bourbon Cask Finish Series: P.X. Sherry Review

The aroma is quite gentle for a Barrell release, and the sherry influence is a bit muted. Even with considerable time in the glass, it takes dedicated nosing to tease out soft notes of sweet cedar, clove syrup, and raisin bread. Sherry bomb this certainly is not.

On the palate, however, the flavors are far bolder than the nose would suggest and nicely integrated. Early, syrupy notes of sticky sultanas and vanilla bean give way to dried citrus, almond pastry cream, and candied ginger. The finish kicks off with a flourish of oaky tannins that quickly fade to lingering notes of cooked raisins and apricot jam. An unusually elegant Barrell bourbon, not quite as adventurous as past Cask Series releases but just as well-executed.

115.52 proof.

A- / $85 [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

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