2023 NCBS Barrel Picks
01
Rebel Yell Cask Strength
Barrel# 7811049
Warehouse: #6; Floor - 6; Rick - 28; Tier - 3; Position - 3
Barreled: 15 October 2017
Bottled: November 2022
Age: 5 years
Proof: 120
Mash Bill: HH - 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley.
Named: North Carolina Bourbon Society
Nose: black tea notes, note of wheat bread and corn.
Palate: buttered toffee, overtones of wild honey, dry cereal.
Finish: creamy, maple.
On 15 Sep 2022, the NCBS Pick Team spent the day with the folks at Lux Row. This amazing facility is perched upon a hill in Bardstown with an old refurbished farmhouse at the center of the private barrel selection experience.
This is the second offering from that visit [the first was the Exra Brooks Cask Strength from December 2022] Cheers!
02
Elijah Craig SiB Barrel Proof
Barrel# 6513313
Warehouse: H1; Floor 6
Barreled: 2013
Bottled: 2022
Proof: 130.9
Mash Bill: 78% corn, 12% malted barley, 10% rye
Named: Bourbon Brothers “Pinky and the Brain” Edition
Nose: leather, vanilla.
Palate: dark fruits, leather, vanilla and a hint of oak.
Finish: has a great mouth feel, has that ECBP taste that makes it hard to believe that it is over 132 proof, and has what most pick team members called an explosion at the end.
16 September 2022, the NCBS Barrel Selection Team was able to spend the morning in the new Heaven Hill Rick House that have floor to roof windows on one corner of the building. Our Hostess was Silvia and she rolled out some great barrels for us to try. The team took their time and would have stayed there all day if the would have let us!.
The folks at Heaven Hill are always top notch, and we can't wait to go back and pick some more barrels. #Cheers!
03
Old Forester Barrel Proof
Barrel# 7207
Barreled: 26 July 2017
Wearhouse: I - 6th Floor
Proof: 129.7
Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% barely.
Named: Old Force
Nose: begins with a floral presentation and moves towards the fresh cracked pepper notes.
Palate: creamy honey suckle, toasted caramel banana, toffee.
Finish: explosive, long lasting, backing spice, "Brown-Foreman Gold".
On 4 February 2023, the NCBS Barrel Selection Team went to Old Forester and had the opportunity to work with Brown-Foreman on selecting another great Old Forester Barrel Proof Single Barrel.
This visit included three offerings, from two different warehouses. All three of the proofs were in the 130 range with traditional Old Forester notes. The team all agreed that there was one stand out with coveted toasted caramel banana that Brown-Forman is known for. We hope that you enjoy it!
04
Wild Turkey Charity Bottle
Barrel# 22-0799 Floor 4, Warehouse F
Barreled: 19 November 2013
Bottled: 12 October 2022
Proof: 110
Named: NCBS Charity
Nose: caramel, vanilla, oak, leather, and that old dusty Turkey funk.
Palate: holy Dusty Funk Batman, caramel, brown sugar, and vanilla with a hint of oaky goodness.
Finish: pipe tobacco, has a bit of a chew, fades away then circles back.
5 August 2022, the NCBS Barrel Selection Team was able to spend the afternoon in the barrel selection Wearhouse with Eddie Russell. It was a crazy raining day; have there is no better place to spend a rainy day, than in rickhouse. You might remember that this was the same pick as the Wild Turkey Christmas Bottle.
05
NCBS Fill The Barrel Project
Barreled: 2 April 2022
Bottled: 4 February 2023
Wearhouse: BVE 1
Proof: 121
Named: Fill The Barrel Project
Nose: sweet musty oak but balanced by vanilla and a sweet orange / citrus note, there is some turkey funk on this one.
Palate: thick mouthfeel that coats the mouth, blast of caramel and vanilla followed by some earthier tobacco and leather notes.
Finish: drinks much lower then the proof, long and slow walk away of sweet tobacco and a spice.
Each year, NCBS selects a Russell's Reserve SiB for its Charity event. In 2022, that barrel arrived still wet. As such, the NCBS Board of Directors asked the members of the Society if they wanted to attempt a Wild Turkey Barrel refill blend project for charity. With tremendous feedback, the team made the preparations. The barrel was brought to the charity event and each member was allowed to dump a bottle of Wild Turkey back into the barrel. The barrel was aged again for eleven-months, dumped, and returned to the members that had previously dumped a bottle in.
The Gold
06
Three Cord Double Oaked
Barreled: 18 January 2016
Bottled: 28 February 2023
Proof: 118.54
Mash Bill: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley
Named: NCBS Three Cord Double Oak
Nose: sweet like brown sugar.
Palate: hints of oak, vanilla, butterscotch.
Finish: warm and earthy; drinks lighter than the proof.
On 4 February 2023, the NCBS Barrel Selection Team completed the Turkey Fill the Barrel project, had selected the next OFBP and was ready to see what this Three Cord Double Oak process was all about. This selection was aged for 6 1/2 years in the original barrel, and has been in the secondary barrel for about 6 months. The secondary barrel is a custom Hybrid barrel from Independent Stave, with alternating French Oak and American Oak staves. We also add in a few toasted staves to really bring out some of those bold flavors.
The team really enjoyed this barrel; however, the process to get this barrel from Three Cord to the ABC store was the most difficult process that NCBS has faced to date.
07
Barrell Craft Spirits
Private Release
Blend# D43R
Bourdon: 55% 5yr, 5% 7yr, 20% 10yr, 20% 17yr
Proof: 116.02
Named: John Wick Dangerous Mix
Nose: bright floral and fruity notes.
Palate: hint of toasted oak, candy butterscotch, and roasted walnut.
Finish: light and smooth with hints of caramel.
It had been a minute or two since we had worked with the folks from Barrell Craft Spirits, so on 31 March 2023the NCBS Barrel Selection Team went to work on some really good Private Release blends for BCS. The samples include different blends of 5yr, 7yr, 10yr, and 17yr. Additionally the team sampled some wine and rum finished single barrels. In the end the team selected 55% 5yr, 5% 7yr, 20% 10yr, 20% 17yr blend that came in at 116.02 proof.
It would appear that luck was not on our side for a second time this year. By mistake, the LB&B distributor broke up this selection and sent it to multiple different ABC stores. By the time the NCBS team discovered the error, it was too late. The ABC stores that received this pick by mistake, had already labeled it as their own and sold several bottles.
Finding the positive in this, we told the Society about the loss then published on social media were to find an amazing blend bourbon...
08
Wilderness Trail Family Reserve Rye
Barreled: July 2019
Bottled: October 2023
Proof: 102.1
Mash Bill: 56% rye, 33% corn, 11% malted barley
Named: Good Proofing Water
Nose: fruit and aromatic.
Palate: fresh cracked pepper, rye spice, leather, clove.
Finish: pleasant surprise of the fruit notes up front, followed by a large, but quick, rye spice spike in the middle of the palate, then fades away; has a really nice mouth feel.
On 22 August 2023, the NCBS Barrel Selection Team made their way to the Wilderness Trail Distillery to see what Shane Baker and Pat Heist had been up to in Danville, KY. The distillery is nested on a 168-arce historic farm site and the Wilderness Trail team has done a great job in keeping the location warm and inviting (down to the finest details in the barrel selection room).
The team was given several barrels to select from, ranging in 4, 6, and 8 years of age. The room got real quite as the team went through the samples, it was obvious that these offerings were much better than expected... The magic of the sweet mash process is that you just never can tell what deliciousness might come out the other end.
09
Wild Turkey
Kentucky Spirit
Barrel# 0028 Floor 4, Warehouse TY-K
Barreled: 11 October 2014
Bottled: 26 October 2023
Proof: 101
Mash Bill: 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% barley
Named: The Spirit of The Gentleman
Nose: rich fruit, vanilla, and caramel notes.
Palate: full body mouth feel, vanilla, and almond.
Finish: smooth warm mid palate hug, hints of leather.
On 21 August 2023, the NCBS Barrel Selection Team spent the day with Bruce Russell. What and amazing experience!! Bruce did such a great job walking everyone through the process, his thoughts on each offering, and made sure that both the 2024 Russell's Reserve Barrel and the NCBS Kentucky Spirit were top notch selections. If the team could have carried out those barrels that day... they would have.
Always humbled to select barrels with the Russell Family. We hope that you enjoy it!
10
Clyde May's
Single Barrel Rye
Barreled: 30 April 2018
Bottled: October 2023
Proof: 104
Mash Bill: 95% rye, 5% malted barley
Named: NC Bourbon Society
Nose: fresh fruit and green apple.
Palate: apple and herbal notes, some toffee, and a hint of bubble gum.
Finish: nice long legs, has that... you know this is nice MGP rye feeling.
On 9 May 2023, [yes we picked a Clyde May's in May] the NCBS Barrel Selection Team spent the afternoon with C.L. May tasting some 95/5 rye samples. It is always good catching up with C.L. and getting the latest on what is happing at the May's Distillery. We are really looking forward to next year and hopefully picking barrels onsite in Alabama.
The May's Family have always been great supporters of NCBS and Charities at large!!! Glad they allowed us to be one of the first groups in North Carolina to select one of their Single Barrel Rye's.
11
Dream Spirits
Barrel# CLASSIFIED
Barreled: 26 September 2014
Bottled: October 2023
Proof: 118.1
Mash Bill: 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% barley
Named: It Was All A Dream
Nose: pleasant vanilla.
Palate: toffee, vanilla, malt, oatmeal, and raisin.
Finish: slight chew to it, spikes in the middle, and slowly walks away; dinks well below its proof.
On 17 September 2023, the NCBS Barrel Selection Team spent the day at the Dream Spirits 1800's Mansion... absolutely incredible experience, hands down! There is nothing like drilling barrels and tasting bourbon. Every barrel was a gem, the team wanted to take everyone of them. However, one was the number and It Was All A Dream was selected.
Sure hope that we get to go back in 2024 and select another!
