Single Oak Project Barrel #110 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
90 Proof
Price Point: $55 – $65 for 375 ML
Distiller: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Background
I had to review something special for my 100th whiskey review. And what would be more special than a bottle from the Single Oak Project? For those of you unfamiliar with this project, here is the description straight from its website:
“For over two centuries Buffalo Trace Distillery has been a pioneering leader in quality and innovation. The Single Oak Project is our most inventive and comprehensive experiment yet.
It all started with 96 individually selected American oak trees that differed according to the number of growth rings per inch and growing location. Each tree was then cut into two parts – top and bottom – yielding 192 unique tree sections. A single barrel was constructed from each unique section. Prior to construction we varied the stave seasoning times. The 192 barrels were then charred differently. These single oak barrels were then filled with different recipe whiskeys, at various entry proofs and aged in a variety of different warehouse styles.
We believe that this experiment will allow you to directly compare the impact of 7 different critical variables across 192 bottles for a total of 1,396 taste combinations. None of the 192 bottles in the complete set are exactly alike.”
Below is my review of Barrel #110. If you want to know the recipe of this or any other barrels, well, you’ll just have to review it yourself!
Review
This whiskey has a beautiful amber color. It looks soft and delicate in my Glencairn glass. From the first whiff, Barrel #110 has an unmistakable Buffalo Trace nose. It’s sweet and silky with tons of caramel and vanilla – I liken it to the aroma of a nice crème brûlée. The nose presents an interesting mix of wheat and rye. I get a small splash of lemon zest and some very strong black cherry notes.
Barrel #110 impresses from the very beginning. It’s very sweet as is the Buffalo Trace trademark, with plenty of wheat and corn sweetness. There’s orange peel and a little rye spiciness. This is an incredibly well-balanced and complex whiskey; it seems to evolve as you swirl it around your mouth. I even pick up a dash of pepper on the tail-end.
The finish is spicy yet smooth on Barrel #110 with a nice amount of vanilla. This is long-lasting for a 90 proof bourbon, and keeps you coming back for more.
Rating & Recommendations
I have thoroughly enjoyed reviewing Barrel #110 of Buffalo Trace’s Single Oak Project, and it has certainly earned a high rating of 93 out of 100.
I suppose I lucked out with having one of the better barrels in this collection, and most other reviewers tend to agree. This isn’t quite the holy grail of bourbon, but an excellent start for the folks at Buffalo Trace.
-Ryan
Note: Going forward, reviews will be posted every other Saturday.