Product description
In the late 2013 Diageo announced The Orphan Barrel Whisky Project, a collection of different whiskeys “miraculously found” in the company warehouses.
The first two expressions released in the early 2014 were Kentucky Bourbons, Old Blowhard 26 years old and six years younger Barterhouse. The latter was distilled in the existing Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, since 1999 owned by Heaven Hill Distilleries (currently Diageo does not operate bourbon distillery). Its mashbill includes 86% corn, 6% rye and 8% malted barley, which is exactly the original formula of I.W. Harper Bourbon. Barterhouse is bottled at 90.2 US proof (45.1% abv) in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
Nose: sweet with pretty strong woody notes, vanilla, crème brûlée, cherries, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, burnt toast and hints of brown sugar.
Palate: oaky, caramel, vanilla, chocolate coated cherries, prunes, hints of cinnamon and raisins, leather, tobacco and charred oak.
Finish: medium long, oaky, with notes of caramel, vanilla and hints of cinnamon.