Southern Star Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels Review

Southern Star
Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Finished in Honey Barrels
Cask Strength
108.4 Proof
Southern Distilling Company
SRP: $49.95 (375mL)
Review

Please enjoy our Southern Star Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels Review!

Back By Popular Demand

Southern Distilling Company has released the second batch of Southern Star Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels for the holidays. This is a 7-year-old bourbon bottled at 108.4 proof and finished in locally sourced wildflower honey–saturated barrels. Last year’s first batch sold out quickly as a distillery exclusive. This time, the release is more widely available (in North Carolina), though quantities are still limited. Beginning November 8, it is now sold at the Southern Distilling Company tasting room in Statesville, NC and at select ABC stores across North Carolina.

Details – Southern Star Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels Review

• Producer: Southern Distilling Company
• Whiskey Name: Southern Star Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels
• Type: Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey (finished bourbon)
• Age: 7 years
• Proof: 108.4
• Finish: Finished in locally sourced wildflower honey–saturated barrels
• Release: Second batch (larger quantity than last year, exact bottle count not disclosed)
• Availability: Southern Distilling Company Tasting Room and select ABC stores across North Carolina (starting November 8)
• SRP: $49.95
• Bottle Size: 375mL
• Brand URL: SouthernDistillingCompany.com

Tasting Notes – Southern Star Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels Review

Let’s taste it:

🛏 Rested: 15 minutes in a Glencairn
👉🏻 Nose: Fairly sweet with relatively mild honey notes; sweet cherries, subtle sweet floral notes, tart orange citrus, caramel and mild dry oak. Darker stone fruits, like plums, are also noticeable later on. The alcohol vapor is appropriate for the proof.
👉🏻 Taste: Moderately sweet, but with only a mild honey character; caramel, mild dry oak and dark cherries; somewhat syrupy mouthfeel.
👉🏻 Finish: The fruit and sweetness linger, but the finish fairly rapidly becomes moderately spicy with white pepper, and mild dry oak and tannins later on. It is quite long with a pleasant warmth and lingering spice.

Summary

For a honey-finished bourbon, the honey flavors are fairly mild. However, the sweetness imparted by the honey is more noticeable. There is a nice combination of fruit, caramel, and mild dry oak, with the latter presumably related to the double barreling. The finish becomes surprisingly spicy and dry for a honey-finished bourbon, though it is not overwhelming.

Conclusion

Southern Star Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels is a very enjoyable pour. What stands out to me is how the honey is not overly dominant, as it often can be in honey-finished bourbons. This allows the other flavors to stand out. If you are a fan of honey, but don’t want it to overpower your bourbon, then this is one to try. Have you had it? What did you think? Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Southern Star Cask Strength Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels Review! Learn more about the distillery in our interview with co-founder Pete Barger! Next, check out these related reviews: Southern Star Double Rye Review and our Southern Star American Single Malt Whiskey Review.

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

Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!