Barrel Craft Spirits has unveiled Gold Label Seagrass. (Photo: Barrel Craft Spirits)

Barrell Craft Spirits on Monday announced a new whiskey in its Seagrass series, BCS Gold Label Seagrass. The brand calls the latest release the “pinnacle” of the BCS Seagrass Series.

BCS Gold Label Seagrass features 20-year rye whiskey, sourced and finished in Martinique rum, Malmsey Madeira and apricot brandy casks. The expression was distilled in Canada and crafted and bottled in Kentucky at a cask-strength 128.12 proof.

BCS Gold Label Seagrass is available for pre-sale at BarrellBourbon.com for $499.99. It will be available for the same price at select retailers in 48 states and online via the BCS website beginning in mid-June.

The Seagrass series also includes Barrell Seagrass and the limited-release BCS Gray Label Seagrass, which have been heavily awarded and critically acclaimed. The pair earned exceedingly high ratings of 9 and 10, respectively, from Whiskey Raiders.

The Gray Label is one of two whiskeys ever to receive a perfect score from Whiskey Raiders, so it’s difficult to imagine the Gold Label becoming the highlight of the series. Regardless, we can’t wait to taste it.

“Gold Label Seagrass epitomizes our team’s expertise in global sourcing and blending, both in whiskey and finishing materials,” BCS Founder Joe Beatrice said in a news release. “This exceptional whiskey is remarkably flavorful, showcasing the best of the Seagrass profile in a whiskey that can only be made this complex and nuanced with time in the barrel.”

Barrell Craft Spirits Gold Label Seagrass Tasting Notes From the Brand

Nose: Classic Canadian rye notes of white flower, toasted grains, and bright honey. As it sits in the glass, toasty tropical notes of apricot and roasted pineapple present themselves. Nutty, raisin-like madeira shows here too, as does a subtle wild-grassy freshness. After a minute, toasted hazelnut and orange blossom drift into focus.

Palate: Ripe Meyer lemon and clover honey show first, with fresh basil and perfectly ripe pineapple taking over in the mid-palate. There are glimmers of deeply aged rye, as this layered whiskey evolves sip to sip. Moments of heat are balanced with a viscous sweetness, brightened by the natural acidity of the Malmsey Madeira finish. Black pepper is present too, as this is a cask strength rye, but the tropical notes win out until the finish.

Finish: A touch of classic rye spice presents itself on the finish, with exotic pink peppercorn and Mediterranean herbs including fresh oregano and sun-dried rosemary. The spice is tempered by a sweet, apricot-dominated viscosity drawing out the finish. Finally, tropical sweetness subsides into more classic mature whiskey notes like leather and nutmeg, leaving your palate with lemon, honey, and cracked black pepper.

With a few drops of spring water: The sweet tropical notes are supercharged. The lemon becomes passionfruit, and the light honey darkens to fresh cane syrup. This whiskey opens up in the glass with a drop of water, but resists breaking against a few cubes of ice.

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