Full disclosure, as some of you know I spent most of the last year working with High Bank Distillery as a tour guide and helping with distillery events. As a result these new releases were sent to me free of charge.
The sample pack of new Barrel Select releases from High Bank Distillery in Columbus, OH
On June 10th, High Bank Distillery Co. In Columbus will release three new Barrel Select bottlings. Their Barrel Select line is comprised of spirits finished in various barrels over the last few years, giving Master Distiller and Blender Adam Hines another creative outlet to experiment. As you’ll see, some experiments work better than others.
Whiskey War Barrel Select #7
First, I sampled Whiskey War Barrel Select #7, High Banks award winning rye-heavy blend of straight whiskeys that was finished in the same Sangiovese wine cask in which they finished Barrel Select #1. This time since it was a second fill so Adam left the whiskey in this cask an amazing 27 months, and I must say the result is beautiful. With a total age of 5 years and coming in at 120 proof this whiskey really matured well. I actually preferred this to the first full of the same cask. The nose has strong stone fruit and vanilla notes that are remarkable. On the palate it starts with a light caramel, which adds tobacco and dark fruit before finishing with light oak, tobacco, and finally fades with the herbal notes common to rye whiskey.
Next, I moved to Whiskey War Barrel Select #8, finished in a Spanish Madeira cask for 18 months, bringing its total aging time to 4.5 years. Coming in at 115.5 proof this one wasn’t quite as good as I had hoped. The nose started with a beautiful combination of orange blossom and vanilla, but then had an unappealing acetone note. The palate fortunately did not have that acetone note, and instead was all port wine, plums, and brown baking spices. The plum continues through the finish, with light tobacco and an earthiness that I commonly find in port wine. Overall not bad, but not as good as other Barrel Select releases.
The 4th Statehouse Gin Barrel Select is a masterpiece
The final release is Statehouse Gin Barrel Select #4, which was aged for 27 months in a Cabernet Sauvignon wine barrel that previously aged Whiskey War Barrel Select #2. Their longest barrel aged gin to date, the combination of Cabernet and whiskey notes added to the citrus forward presence of Statehouse Gin is utterly remarkable. The nose starts with the strong citrus Statehouse has become known for, adding if vanilla and dark fruit from the aging. The palate is beautiful, with strong orange, vanilla, honey, and fading to a tart cherry. The finish maintains the honey sweetness but the citrus fades to a subtle lemon before cleanly fading away.
Overall this abundant range of of new offerings is sure to satisfy High Bank fans, and shows the continued creativity of Adam and the crew at High Bank. If you can, grab all three when they go on sale, they won’t last long.
