Barrell Foundation Double Barrel Bourbon Review

Barrell Foundation
Double Barrel Bourbon
Aged 5 Years
100 Proof
MSRP: $54.99
Review

Please enjoy our Barrell Foundation Double Barrel Bourbon Review!

A blend of straight bourbon whiskeys

Barrell Craft Spirits

Barrel Craft Spirits, founded in 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky, selects and blends whiskeys that represent different styles, barrel types, distilleries, and aging environments. Their extensive collection of high-quality whiskeys allows them to create unique and complex blends. Creative finishes and a liberated approach to blending guide every product release. Up until the recent release of their Foundation Series, all Barrell Craft Spirit Whiskeys were bottled at barrel strength.

Barrell Foundation Double Barrel Bourbon

Barrell Foundation Double Barrel Bourbon is a blend of Kentucky (8yr), Indiana (5, 6, and 9yr), Tennessee (8yr), and Maryland (5 and 6yr) bourbon whiskeys. It features a derived mash bill of 73% corn, 23% rye, and 4% malted barley. It has a secondary maturation in new American oak barrels, and is bottled at 100-proof.

Tasting Notes – Barrell Foundation Double Barrel Bourbon Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn Glass

👉🏻Nose: Sweet delicious apples, hints of cherry candy, mild rye spices, anise, sweet light caramel, vanilla, tart orange citrus; mild dry spicy oak; alcohol appropriate for the proof
👉🏻Taste: Simple syrup, light caramel and toffee, mild char & dry oak; dark cherries
👉🏻Finish: Increasing white pepper spice; progressively dry with dry oak and barrel char; lightly sweetened tea; black pepper later on; long with moderate warmth

Barrell Foundation Double Barrel Bourbon is a very complex whiskey. It had fairly pronounced flavor changes during the days following my initial taste of the freshly opened bottle. Sweet delicious apples which were dominant initially, became more subdued. Likewise, the sweetness of the simple syrup in the palate had a similar transition. In addition, spicy dry oak became more noticeable, particularly being more forward in the nose. The bourbon overall has become less sweet and more balanced. Therefore, my tasting notes reflect this bourbon’s character on the second and subsequent days after opening the bottle, to be more reflective of its flavor profile overall. Nonetheless, due to its complexity, different flavors seems to stand out from sip to sip, as well.

A Complex Journey From Sweet to Spice

The nose of Barrell Foundation Double Barrel Bourbon brings a nice combination of sweet and tart fruit, baking spices, and a bit of spicy dry oak, as well. More specifically, there are sweet delicious apples, hints of cherry candy, tart citrus, sweet light caramel and vanilla, as well as mild rye spices with anise. Spicy dry oak is also present throughout. The alcohol vapor is appropriate for the proof.

The taste begins fairly sweetly, with simple syrup and light caramel and toffee. However, those flavors are soon joined by rye spices and anise. Soon after, the character turns towards the drier side with mild barrel char, dry oak, and developing spice. After a few sips, dark cherries become evident, as well.

The finish has increasing white pepper spice, and continues to become more dry, with lingering dry oak, now black pepper spice, some tannins and barrel char. There are also hints of lightly sweetened black tea, later on. The finish is quite long and dry, with a pleasant moderate warmth.

Summary

This is a lot going on in Barrell Foundation Double Barrel Bourbon. That’s not unexpected given the wide range of component bourbons, combined with a finishing barrel. It is likely this complexity that contributes to the notable change in flavor a day after opening the bottle, and between each sip. In fact, when I tasted Barrell Foundation Double Barrel the first day, I was thinking it would likely be a bit different the next time. And, indeed, it was.

Conclusion

I am very much enjoying sipping on this bourbon. And, I do emphasize sipping. The flavors last for a very long time, and the complexity results in new flavors from sip to sip. It’s really quite a unique bourbon. So, if you are a fan of a complex bourbon with a dry and spicy finish, then you’ll want to give the Barrell Foundation Double Barrel Bourbon a try! Have you had it? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Barrell Foundation Double Barrel Bourbon Review! If you would like to learn about some of Barrell Craft Spirits’ other whiskeys, check out our Barrell Vantage Bourbon Review and our Barrell Seagrass Rye Review!

This bottle was graciously provided by Barrell Craft Spirits for my unbiased review. Thank you.

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