More to Enjoy
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Intro:
Distilled in Canada and then trucked to the US where it was aged in Martinique rhum, Madeira wine and Apricot Brandy casks, this blend of rye is the older brother to Seagrass from Barrell. Aptly named Seagrass 16yr Grey Label, this product is positioned in the upper echelon of Barrell's line up. Retailing for $249 and carrying a 16yr age statement, this blend is bottled at cask strength: a powerful 65.41% ABV. Let's dig in.
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Nose:
Bright apple, pear, pecan, syrupy and sweet. Candied apples, cinnamon, pear and a delightful rich, complexity. My main gripe with normal Seagrass was a less than captivating nose, and this is nothing but captivating. It's stealthy, you'd never know it's north of 60% ABV.
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Taste:
Rich on the palate, a great blend of fruitiness, oaky and powerful spice. Rich, a great blend of tannin, fruity rum, syrupy goodness. Baked apple, maple, pears, a big almond note, dry rye spice and clove. A touch of tobacco. This combines what I loved about normal Seagrass, and combines my favorite aspects of Canadian rye as well.
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Finish:
Long, powerful finish. A touch hot, but complex, nothing but boldness. Nothing short of perfection.
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Overall:
It's been about 1700 reviews since a whiskey has broached this point with me, but here we are. There's nothing I'd change about Barrell Seagrass 16yr, and as a result, I'm doling out the big 10/10. This release is powerful, bold, syrupy, unique, eye opening and downright delicious. It's worth noting that while this sample was provided by Barrell with no expectation of a review or rating, I have already purchased two of these for myself, and I am now just left to await their arrival.
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Score:
10
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Disclosure: The producer provided this sample to review free of charge, and without expectation of review or rating.
- Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources