Scattered Castles Barrel Proof Bourbon Finished in Rum Barrels Review

Scattered Castles
Bourbon Finished in Rum Barrels
Batch 1 · Limited Release · Barrel Proof
117.2 Proof
SRP: $74.99
Review

Please enjoy my Scattered Castles Barrel Proof Bourbon Finished in Rum Barrels Review!

From Home Blending to Scattered Castles

Scattered Castles began with an attempt to improve a bourbon that its founder considered a “drain pour.” Rather than give up on it, he experimented with blending it with another bourbon. Friends enjoyed the results and began requesting blends of their own, eventually encouraging him to turn the hobby into a business.

Finding a production partner took persistence. According to the brand’s website, he contacted distilleries throughout Maryland, D.C. and Virginia before finding support from Max and Eli at Baltimore Spirits Company.

The back label describes the project in his own words: “Scattered Castles is my dream: I’m just one guy. No investors. No board of directors. No outside financing. No crowd-sourcing. No corporate interests.” It continues: “This isn’t an old family recipe. It’s about quality, passion, perseverance, and a relentless pursuit of something better.”

A Limited Release Finished in Rum Barrels

Scattered Castles Barrel Proof Bourbon Finished in Rum Barrels is a limited release that the brand describes as finished in old rum casks. The bottle reviewed here is Batch 1, bottled at 117.2 proof. Its back label states that the whiskey was distilled and aged in Maryland and Indiana and bottled by The Baltimore Spirits Company in Baltimore, Maryland, for Scattered Castles Craft Spirits in Haymarket, Virginia.

Other reviews describe Batch 1 as a five-barrel blend of bourbons aged six to eight years, with fewer than 1,000 bottles produced.

Details — Scattered Castles Barrel Proof Bourbon Finished in Rum Barrels Review

• Brand: Scattered Castles Craft Spirits
• Expression: Scattered Castles Barrel Proof Bourbon Finished in Rum Barrels
• Release: Limited Release; Batch 1
• Distilled and Aged In: Maryland and Indiana
• Bottled By: The Baltimore Spirits Company, Baltimore, Maryland
• Bottled For: Scattered Castles Craft Spirits, Haymarket, Virginia
• Finishing Casks: Old rum casks
• Bottling Strength: Barrel proof
• Proof: 117.2 (58.6% ABV)
• SRP: $74.99 / 750 mL
• Reported Blend, Age and Production: Five barrels of bourbon aged six to eight years; fewer than 1,000 bottles produced

Tasting Notes — Scattered Castles Barrel Proof Bourbon Finished in Rum Barrels Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested: 15 minutes in a Glencairn glass

👉🏻 Nose: Mildly sweet; butterscotch, light rum notes; mild rye spices, raspberry jam and dark cherries; mild dry oak; alcohol vapor appropriate for the proof
👉🏻 Taste: Mildly sweet, caramel, developing tannins, mild oak
👉🏻 Finish: Somewhat dry rum, butterscotch, moderate white pepper spice; increasingly dry with tannins; dry wood, mild char, lingering butter rum and spice in the end; long with a deep warmth

Butterscotch, Caramel and a Lingering Butter Rum Finish

The nose of Scattered Castles Barrel Proof Bourbon Finished in Rum Barrels is mildly sweet with butterscotch and light rum notes. There is just a hint of fruit, with mild rye spices and dry oak. In the taste, the butterscotch is traded for mildly sweet and rich caramel, with developing tannins and barely evident rum.

However, in the finish, the rum and butterscotch return. Moderate spice develops, as well as tannins, as the finish becomes increasingly dry. It is long and lingering, as would be expected for its 117.2 proof, leaving a very pleasant butter rum note with mild dry wood and subtle char in the end.

A Rum-Finished Bourbon That Is Only Mildly Sweet

Finishing bourbon in rum casks can be a tricky proposition. The two sweet flavors can combine to create an overly sweet spirit. That is not the case with Scattered Castles Barrel Proof Bourbon Finished in Rum Barrels. The overall character is only mildly sweet, and the flavors combine to create a very enjoyable butter rum note that becomes most evident in the finish. A drier finish, with some tannins and white pepper spice, provides a nice contrast to any sweeter notes that are present.

I am enjoying this bourbon quite a bit, especially after it has had a chance to open up over a few weeks. The flavors have really melded nicely together. If you have been wary of rum-finished bourbons and enjoy a whiskey that is mildly sweet with a nice combination of butter rum, spice, the right amount of tannins, dryness and a touch of fruit, then you’ll want to give Scattered Castles Barrel Proof Bourbon Finished in Rum Barrels a try. Have you tried it? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

I hope you have enjoyed my Scattered Castles Barrel Proof Bourbon Finished in Rum Barrels Review! Next, explore two more rum-finished bourbons in our Bardstown Bourbon Company Plantation Rum Finish Bourbon Review and Yellowstone Rum Cask Finished Bourbon Review.

Note: This sample was graciously provided by the Brand for my review. I appreciate it!

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