No matter where they come from, all whiskeys need to age in oak barrels before being released. Regional rules vary on the length of time and kind of barrels used, but the procedure is essential to delivering the caramel color and distinctive tastes of the spirit, which include dried fruits, baking spices, vanilla, and more. These days, wine finishes have become a staple in the whiskey world as a way to add nuanced layers of fruit and spice to the spirit without artificial flavorings.
This is a novel aging method that has been used by select distillers within the last 20 years, that has subtly changed the whiskey market. This process, known as “cask-finishing,” involves aging a completely mature whiskey for a second time in an oak cask that was previously used to age another alcoholic beverage, more particularly wine. We decided to try our hand at this, using a slightly different approach, and the results were phenomenal!
Vintner’s Select #1 – French Marselan Blend/Chilean Cab Sauv Cask Finish
Although we have several amazing cask finished creations, our Vintner’s Select #1 is Branch & Barrel’s first ever wine barrel finished release! It was made in collaboration with our friends at The Wine Barrel in Parker, CO. They aged a French Marselan blend followed by a Chilean Cab Sauv in one of our Bourbon barrels. Chilean Cab Sauv has a bright nose of black cherries, red currants, plums and hints of coffee and spices. French Marselan is actually a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. It is a deeply colored red wine with aromas and flavors of mixed berries, plum and a touch of earthiness.
Amazingly Decadent Results
Upon completion of their wine “experiment”, they returned the barrel. We then added our 4-year-old Flagship Bourbon to the cask and let it age for an additional six months, allowing it to organically meld with any leftover wine in the barrel and seep into the staves extracting rich flavors. Atop the rich, creme brulee flavor of our Flagship Bourbon, the impact of the red wines adds gorgeous layers of red berries, red plum, black pepper, dark chocolate, and red/purple grapes, giving this expression a gorgeous, slightly darker amber-colored hue.
Festive, Unique & Nuanced
This selection’s robust character of red fruit, full body, and spice are all brought about by the red wine influences. Excellent in the winter and appropriately festive for a Christmas dram, its flavors are unique and nuanced, with additional lingering notes of honey, caramel, nuttiness and vanilla along with the sweetness and red fruit. These subtle notes allow the robust attributes of our whiskey to shine through for peak flavor, with a lengthy, warming finish that boasts a definitive red wine influence, along with a bit of spice from the oak barrel.
Very Limited & Deliciously Versatile
Additionally, for devout red wine enthusiasts who enjoy robust, bolder red wine, this wine cask finished offering could be a new favorite or a perfect introduction into the bourbon world. This very limited, single barrel release, is every bit as decadent and delicious as it sounds! It is best enjoyed neat, on the rocks or with a splash of water, but with its sweet and rich flavor profile, it is also amazing in cocktails. This one barrel release is available only at our Tasting Room while supplies last!