Best Barrel Proof Bourbons

Criteria:

Bottled at entry or exit proof
No price restriction (most are $50-$90 MSRP)

#5 Bulleit Barrel Strength

This is the biggest surprise of the list for me. This is batch 5 of Bulleit Barrel Strength which has thankfully expanded distribution. I didn’t think as we set up the lineup that the Bulleit Barrel Strength would finish in the top 5. But yet here we are...

Stats: Batch 5; NAS (blend of 5-8 yr barrels); 125.4 proof; 68% Corn 28% Rye 4% Malted Barley; $49⠀

Verdict: I really like this bottle. The high-rye mashbill produces a great flavor profile. It does something that you don’t get often - I get a pop of sweetness on the palate of maple, cocoa, oak, and even a touch of cane sugar while at the same time popping the rye spice and pepper. Usually these come in waves one after another but this hits at the same time like an explosion which adds some interest and complexity. And like with any good barrel proof, it provides a really nice long finish. Again, I’m shocked by this but will definitely be investigating future batches

#4 Smoke Wagon Uncut Unfiltered

Why is it so damn cold in Kentucky this weekend?! Oh well, it’s good for barrel proof bourbon by the fire. Today I’m tasting the @smokewagonbourbon Uncut Unfiltered. Smoke Wagon has made a big name for themselves with great blending techniques of their MGP sourced whiskey. Their recent distribution into KY has me very excited that I no longer have to order online and pay the shipping cost!

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Smoke Wagon is sold by Nevada H&C Distilling but the bourbon is sourced from MGP. The company was started in 2012 by a couple of guys who met at a bar, then ran a bar together, and then decided to build their own distillery in the middle of Las Vegas - look up the story of Aaron Chepenik & Jonathan Hensleigh sometime, cool dudes. Though they source from MGP, they do age and blend the whiskey on-site at their Nevada distillery. Their way of differentiating themselves in the sea of MGP sourced brands is to blend older aged barrels with more sweetness and oak to them with younger barrels that the Nevada dry heat has brought out the high rye spice in. In turn, they create a harmonious balance of sweet, dry oak, and spice to the bourbon. The Uncut Unfiltered is, as the name obviously suggests, their barrel proof offering that is dumped straight from the barrel without any filtration or proofing down.

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Stats: NAS; 113.9 proof; 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley; $65

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Verdict: The pour starts as advertised with the caramel, vanilla, and brown sugar sweetness coming through. Then the dry oak and spice pop but not as intense as I would have imagined given the barrel proof status and the typical spice that comes through for high rye MGP. They’ve done an excellent job taming this. As it finishes more brown sugar and oak linger for a pleasant lasting taste. As far as it’s place in the Top 5, I’m placing it at No. 4. With that said, it’s REALLY splitting hairs and a true matter of profile preference between this, Bulleit, and Four Roses. Personally, I love the sweetness and tamed spice that this brings compared to the other two and that’s why it lands above those.

#3 Knob Creek 12 Year Cask Strength

#TestingThursday! Got a few barrel proof bottles lined up to see if any can crack the #Top5. Today I’m starting with @knobcreek 12 year cask strength. The 100 proof Knob 12 year took home many accolades in regards to best whiskeys of the year for 2020 - including top honors from @breakingbourbon and 2nd place from @whiskyadvocate. We’ll see if the added proof keeps the premium quality for this one.

Stats: 12 years old; 120.5 proof; 77% corn 13% rye 10% malted barley; $70

Verdict: First off, if you’re going to blind test many barrel proof pours, make sure you got plenty of water and snacks nearby or the tasting turns south quickly! 😳 Now, I usually really enjoy Knob and expected great things out of this bottle and it did not disappoint. It made its way through the ranks and settles at number 3 on the Top 5 list behind Elijah Craig Barrel Proof & Stagg Jr. Those two separate themselves from the pack pretty handily but this Knob 12 holds its own. There’s not much on the sweet side of the profile but a hint of caramel and dark fruit. Primarily there’s a dry oak, leather, dark chocolate combo that jumps out at me followed by a typical burst of spice I expect from Knob and, of course, some nuttiness. The finish starts slow and I was thinking it was going to be short and light but it slowly builds to what you’d expect out of 120+ proof. A great pour and a new entrant to the top 5 barrel proof list!

#2 Stagg Jr.

Well this will settle the final rankings though there will be a post about the no. 1 bottle. The battle for the top spot was fierce. Just as in other areas we had to do a separate fast off of the final two because they were tied. I even did a separate one by myself out of curiosity and it is extremely close. But in the end, Stagg Jr ends up in second place by the slightest of margins. For those that don’t know, this comes from Buffalo Trace’s mashbill #1 (The same as EH Taylor line, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Eagle Rare, and the BTAC Stagg) and is released twice per year as a new batch usually early in the calendar year and again in the late Spring/early Summer. ⠀

Stats: Batch 14; NAS (blend of 8-9 yr barrels); 130.2 proof; BT Mashbill 1; $53 (yes was purchased at retail)⠀⠀⠀⠀

Verdict: So many good things to say about this bottle. It’s a powerhouse and worth the effort to hunt for and prices above retail (within reason). It’s got a dark fruit, oak, brown sugar, cola nose. A complex palate and I get caramel, cherries, oak, char, brown sugar, vanilla, and heat to remind you it’s barrel proof. A fantastic long finish with some added notes of oak tannins and leather. One of my favorite overall pours. Even with variation between batches, it's always worth it to pick up a bottle of this as it most likely will be amazing!

#1 Elijah Craig Barrel Proof

The champ is here! And quite appropriate that on Sunday it’s Reverend @elijahcraig Barrel Proof C920 as the winner of our Barrel Proof Bourbon blind tasting battle. Not a lot to say about this one other than it is absolutely incredible! Before the big tasting we did one with just the ‘20 ECBP releases to determine which one we wanted in the overall competition. That was difficult to pick one and I think that any of them could have won this, they’re all that good! Which is why we put it at our #1 spot despite differences amongst the batches, you can almost always expect a stellar product! And at retail price these are easily one of, if not the best, value in all of bourbon. This could be my all around favorite bottle right now. If you’re unaware, the way to determine the batch release info for this is: first letter is the sequential to denote which batch (A is first of the year, B is second, etc.) The next number represents the month of the release and the final 2 numbers are the year.

Stats: Batch C920; 12 years old; 132.8 proof; 78% Corn 12% Malted Barley 10% Rye; $69

Verdict: I’ve lauded enough high praise on this so I’ll just provide the notes 😀. I get a great oak, vanilla, spice nose with a creamy sweetness on the palate. Almost a chocolatey caramel with other notes of, vanilla, oak tannin, light spice, and dark fruits. The finish is fantastic and long with lingering oak and sweetness. If you see it, buy it!

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