Whiskey War Barrel Select #5 and #6 Review
Aging like a fine wine, High Bank Distillery has two more releases ready to come out in their Barrel Select line. These releases have more twist and turns than a Cedar Point rollercoaster and that’s before you even taste it. Let’s get into Whiskey War Barrel Selects “Left Zinfandel Barrel” and “Right Zinfandel Barrel.” High Bank is also suggesting doing a 50/50 blend of each that will create a completely separate experience. Make sure your hands and feet remain inside of the car at all times as these are sure to be a ride.
Make sure you put in the comments any bottles that you would like me to review.
NAME – Whiskey War Barrel Select Batch #5 Left Zinfandel Barrel Aged
PROOF – 119
AGE – non-age stated but the distillery let me know that is a total of 4.6 years old with 21 months of that in a Zinfandel wind cask
COLOR – chestnut thoroughbred horse (1.5 auburn, polished mahogany on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)
NOSE – Sourdough bread toast with grape jelly, musty oak, slight bit of dried apricot, cinnamon and leather.
TASTE – Right at the front of the palate has the taste of a sweet balsamic reduction but immediately transitions into dry oak tannins and cinnamon.
FINISH – I would call this a medium to long finish. A musty oak and cinnamon lingering until the end.
NAME – Whiskey War Barrel Select Batch #6 Right Zinfandel Barrel Aged
PROOF – 118.5
AGE – non-age stated but the distillery let me know that is a total of 4.6 years old with 21 months of that in a Zinfandel wind cask
COLOR – dark Sangria (1.5 auburn, polished mahogany on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)
NOSE – Dark caramel with grape jelly along will aged oak. I don’t think you can smell creamy but that is the essence I get. I do get a slight blueberry Greek yogurt if that helps to give you the idea of a creamy smell. Visually it has legs on the glass that linger forever.
TASTE – Dark caramel and then that blueberry yogurt taste comes out. Definite vanilla bean, blackberry, and then later in the palate a rye toast.
FINISH – I would call this a medium to long finish. A rye toast along with cinnamon and the berry blend of blueberry, blackberry and raspberry continues to hang around.
NAME – Whiskey War Barrel Select Batch #5 and #6 50/50 blend
PROOF – 118.75
AGE – non-age stated but the distillery let me know that is a total of 4.6 years old with 21 months of that in a Zinfandel wind cask
COLOR – dark auburn hair (1.5 auburn, polished mahogany on the Whiskey Magazine Color Chart)
NOSE – Dried blueberries, dark caramel, some milk chocolate, aged oak, and a dash of cinnamon.
TASTE – Interesting from the start where it seems the dryness from the Left Barrel hits the roof of you mouth and the back of your throat, but the creamier Right Barrel takes over the tongue. Caramel, aged oak, vanilla, cinnamon, a bit of grape jelly.
FINISH – I would call this a medium to long finish. The grape comes out the most in the finish. Oak tannins, some leather and a bit of the caramel hangs on.
REVIEW – Once going over these you understand why High Bank Distillery and Master Distiller Adam Hines decided to separate these. Even though it was the same juice that went into barrels that held the same wine from the same wine producer, vastly different. It is another example of the power of the barrel and the influence it has. If you like a dry whiskey with a ton of interest, then Left Barrel is for you. If you like a sweeter whiskey with a lot of berry influence then Right Barrel is for you.
FINAL COMMENTS – Would like to thank High Bank Distillery for giving me these samples to review.
This makes the 4th and 5th editions of wine barrel finished whiskey in the Barrel Select line (the other was a Double Double Oaked). In my personal opinion I still think the Cabernet Sauvignon finished from last year is still the king, but Right Barrel is a close second and Left Barrel is right there in third. There is also the interesting dynamic of blending both of them to come up with an entirely different experience. It is an easy 3 pour blind tasting you can put together for friends and watch their heads explode when you explain what they are.
To find out more check it out here – High Bank Barrel Select
You can look at all the past Sunday Evenings Reviews and I would still love to hear what your personal reviews are from each of the whiskies reviewed.
