Hidden Barn Slow Fade Bourbon Review

Hidden Barn
The Slow Fade Batch
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Batch 2024B (Series 1)
106.5 Proof
MSRP: $79.99
Review

Please enjoy our Hidden Barn Slow Fade Batch Bourbon Review!

The Latest Release in the Hidden Barn Series 1 Line

Hidden Barn Bourbon was established in 2022 as a partnership between Master Blender Jackie Zykan (formerly of Old Forester), Royce Neeley of the Neeley Family Distillery, and Nate Winegar, founder of the 5280 Bourbon Society. The name “Hidden Barn” pays homage to the historical practice of farmers painting their barns black during Prohibition to conceal illicit distilleries. That’s because Baudoinia compniacensis, which is also known as “Whiskey Fungus”, often grows on and around aging whiskey, coating buildings, trees, and many other things with a black crust. Since the structures near illicit distilleries and aging whiskey would generally get covered with the fungus, it would make them easy to spot. However, if all the buildings in the area were painted black as well, the revenuers would have a difficult time figuring out which one to raid.

The Specifics – Hidden Barn Slow Fade Batch Bourbon Review

Slow Fade is a 12 barrel blend of five to six year-old barrels distilled by Royce Neeley and blended by Jackie Zykan. It was distilled from Neeley’s flagship bourbon mash bill of 70 percent corn, 20 percent rye and 10 percent malted barley. In addition, a sweet mash was used, as well as cypress fermenters. Like all Neeley Family Distillery distillates, this bourbon was double pot distilled after fermenting with wild-crafted Appalachian yeast. It came of the still at 127 proof and went into two year seasoned American Oak barrels at 110 proof.

Tasting Notes – Hidden Barn Slow Fade Batch Bourbon Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested for 15 minutes in a Glencairn

👉🏻Nose: Full; bread dough, raspberry jam, yellow raisins, malty graininess, simple syrup; alcohol vapor appropriate for the proof
👉🏻Taste: Simple syrup, raspberry jam, raisins, bread dough, touch of rye spices, toast and dry oak
👉🏻Finish: Growing and lasting capsaicin spice; hints of tangerines, dried apricots and raisins; mild rye spices; lingering mild sweetness; mild dry oak and char later on; long with a pleasant warmth

The nose is full and fairly sweet, with simple syrup, freshly made bread dough, raspberry jam and yellow raisins, later on. Those sweet and rich flavors are all on a background of malty graininess. The alcohol vapor is appropriate for the proof.

Similar flavors continue into the taste. There’s a fairly high viscosity with simple syrup sweetness, raspberry jam, raisins, bread dough and a slice of light toast. In addition, sharper flavors, from a touch of rye spices and dry oak, add a nice contrast. Later on, the finish is long, with growing and lasting capsaicin spice, as well as mild rye spices. There’s also a lingering mild sweetness, with hints of tangerines, dried apricots and raisins. For the finale, is the addition of dry oak and mild smoky barrel char. In the end, I am left with a pleasant warmth, with lingering spice.

Conclusion

Hidden Barn Slow Fade Batch Bourbon has those full and rich pot still flavors that I enjoy and have come to expect from Neeley Family Distillery. They just aren’t flavors you can get from a column still, and Royce’s little extras, like the low barrel entry proof, two year seasoned wood and a sweet mash, all contribute, as well. If you enjoy the flavors that only a pot still can create, you’ll want to give this bourbon a try. Have you had it? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Hidden Barn Slow Fade Batch Bourbon Review! Would you like to learn more about Neeley Family Distillery? Then check out my Neeley Family Distillery Tour Review! Also, read about an earlier Hidden Barn Release in my Hidden Barn Bourbon “Hometown Barrel” Review.

Note: This sample was graciously provided by the distillery for my review.

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