Barrel Picks

I’ve wanted to do an Old Elk or MGP wheated for a while… every time I sample they have always had this “funk” that I get from MGP wheated.

This go-round either by the stroke of luck or planets all aligning we had some banger barrels to pick from. 8.5 yr Straight Wheated Bourbons coming in at 125.2 & 132.2 with the 132.2 being the highest proof Old Elk has ever put out it seriously feels like we stole it.

The 2 picks previous to this sold out so I made the decision to do two at the same time.

While these were supposed to drop in Nov or 2023 they didn’t hit Bourbon Outfitter until Jan 5th.

Hands down my favorite selection to date.  Jarrod and his crew know how to make a barrel selection a special event.

When we arrived they had probably 30 barrels laid out to sample different things and determine what we wanted and we tried everything.

I fell in love with a 9yr 21% MGP finished in a legacy or rare bourbon barrel. Unfortunately, there was only enough distillate for about 60-70 bottles and I need 200+ for all of you.

So, we started blending. We ended up using 3 barrels of 21% MGP in the same type of legacy barrel (Stagg B17). The Final blend was 6, 8, & 9yr which were all finished in Stagg B17 Barrels for a 201.75 bottle yield at 120 proof

First let’s hit the bourbon then the controversy….

This pick was bestowed to Chasing Bourbon by our good friend Nick from Portland, Oregon.

King’s County has long been known for the 80/20 mashbill, UK Barley, pot stills, and small barrel format.

At our visit they are switching from small barrel format to the traditional 53gal large barrel and I found them to be missing the typical King’s Co profile and thus was going to pass.

They asked if we’d be up for a blend over a single barrel and my answer was heck yeah!

Off to their blending lab we went to be the first private group let loose to create our own blend.

We went off typical 80/20 by adding rye to the blend and found it made a bourbon that I really enjoyed.

The Controversy PSA- I’m not a political person at all. I literally am not involved in the political climate at all.

A request was made from my audience for a controversial sticker. This sticker was suggested buy one of the people integral in the creation of the blend.

This was intended as satire…not a show of support or hate. I’ve gotten equal outrage from people interpreting that this sticker means I support him as much as the outrage that I must hate him.

In the end this resulted in King’s County making a social post claiming to “disavow” this bottle 🤣 😂

 

Barrell Craft Spirits is more a blender and finisher than single barrel selections. In fact they have discontinued doing a “single barrel”, only blends and finished items.

In light of this, it only made sense to get some of their last Single Barrel Straight Bourbon.

Coming in at almost 10yr this 21% MGP is absolute 🔥 and many people’s favorite pick we’ve done.

After the internet feud over our Knob Ross, Haterade was an obvious choice for the Tater Sticker

We teamed up with a local store who didn’t want to sit on the inventory of the barrel. Chasing Bourbon cleared ~100 bottles in about 27 minutes. It was crazy.

Some internet “hate” brewed over the tater sticker and became the brith of “haterade” for the next pick