Barrell 2019 13-Year

So solid rum but although this is a jamaica + guayana blend the plain Jamaica version is wayyy better. Which is surprising since guayana rum like el dorado are ones I rate highly. This rum at 62% burns as it should and ends sweet like a guyana rum but theres this peppery bourbon thing on the taste that lowers it for me. Plus theres a lack of caramel taste as well.

A Kentucky USA based company known for its bourbon offerings is making a big move into rums. After a few sporadic rum offerings over the last few years, Barrell Craft Spirits has a handful of single barrel blended rums that will be hitting shelves soon.

Today I'm tasting blend number J650, which is a single 50 gallon cask consisting of rums from Jamaica, Guyana, Barbados and Martinique. Jamaican distillate makes up the largest portion of the blend at about 65%. The blend is then finished in ex Calvados casks, before being bottled at cask strength of 65.5%. This release is limited to a few hundred bottles.

In the glass, it's a dark amber with a tint of red, and the viscosity is slightly higher than average with defined legs.

The nose is not as astringent as you'd expect at this high ABV, and has a nice balance of ethanol, oak and funk. There is also a faint scent of bright fruits. After adding a splash of water, the ethanol mostly disappears, and the funk fills the glass.

The palette is warm and dry, with the funk and wood being most prevalent. I also pick up pleasant sour pickles, pepper and baking spices, all wrapped up in a delightfully creamy texture.

The finish is short to medium, remains hot (or pleasantly warm, after adding the water), funky and a very mild hint of apples.

While the age of the various components is not listed, I can tell you that there is enough wood in the flavor profile to guarantee that this rum had plenty of time to rest in a dark barrel.

I'm looking forward to tasting future blends from BCS.