Barrell Vantage Bourbon Review

Barrell Vantage
“A blend of straight bourbon whiskeys finished in Mizunara, French and Toasted American oak.”
Distilled in Indiana, Tennessee & Kentucky
114.44 proof
MSRP: $79.99 at barrellbourbon.com
Review

Please enjoy our Barrell Vantage Review!

Barrell Craft Spirits Uses A Unique Process For Whiskey Blends

The process behind Barrell Vantage, and other Barrell Craft Spirits blends for that matter, is unique. The bourbons that comprise Barrell Vantage are distilled in Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana. Each of the three component bourbons are then finished separately in Mizunara, French and Toasted American oak barrels. In addition, different char and toast levels for the barrels are used. Once the secondary finishing is deemed complete, the individual finished bourbons are then blended, rather than being blended together prior to finishing. This allows for greater flexibility in creating the final product.

Tasting Notes – Barrell Vantage Review

Let’s taste it:

🛌 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉Nose: Pear and dried apricot, vanilla, syrupy brown sugar sweetness & burnt caramel, light grassiness and dry woodiness as well as subtle floral notes in the back; a touch of wintergreen & cinnamon; Moderate alcohol
👉Taste: Brown sugar, & caramel; more dry woodiness and oak; dried apricot and sweet apple juice; a bit of barrel char
👉Finish: Rapidly building capsaicin spiciness, with lingering dry oak and char, but also sweetness and fruit, too. Very long finish with a moderate burn.

Barrell Vantage Is A Very Complex Bourbon

Barrell Vantage is a very complex bourbon, presumably due to its very complex composition. Who would have thought?? All those different bourbons and barrels blended together create quite a few flavors. Like an everlasting Gobstopper, this is one whose flavors change throughout, from nose to finish, each being different.

The fruit is very noticeable in the nose to me. Dried apricot as well as softer sweet fruits like pear and apple are there, too, but not at the same time. Floral notes are in the back, blending with a dry woodiness and some barrel flavors, too. The taste is quite sweet with more fruit and caramel, with dry woodiness and oak becoming more apparent. Considerable spice appears in the long finish but the fruit and sweetness are there, too. While the various types of oak are present, the oak is far from overbearing.

Am I The Only One Who Gets Fruit Notes?

As a side note, the majority of Barrell Vantage bourbon reviews I have read do not really seem to pick up the fruit that I do. Try as I might, it is still there for me, so it may be there for you, too. The flavors I get are also quite different from Barrell’s tasting notes, but I find that is often the case with the tasting notes from distilleries.

A Very Enjoyable Bourbon

This is a very enjoyable bourbon. It won me over on my first taste of it at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, and it continues to impress. If you enjoy a complex bourbon with a bit of fruit up front, you will enjoy this one.

Are you a Barrell Bourbon fan? I am too!

We hope you have enjoyed our Barrell Vantage Review! If you would like to read about other Barrell whiskeys, check out our Barrell Seagrass Rye Review and our Barrell Foundation Double Barrel Bourbon Review! Cheers!

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