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American whiskey is full of buzzwords and industry terminology, some of which can be confusing. One term that you may see, single barrel, is as simple as it sounds.
A single barrel whiskey is just that: a whiskey bottled from an individual barrel. Most whiskeys are blended, where distillers take multiple barrels – sometimes thousands of them – and carefully blend the whiskeys to achieve a specific flavor and aromatic profile.
“Rather than starting with what they want the final product to taste like, reverse engineering it with what juice they have available, single barrel picks lean into celebrating natural variation, and a chance to explore the unpredictability of aging as an art form,” says Linda Douglas, bartender at Donna’s in Los Angeles.
In recent years, the unpredictability in the flavor profile of single barrel bottlings and their overall collectability has created an explosion of interest. Distillers and retailers have taken notice.
“Bars and liquor stores go out of their way to acquire a unique single barrel pick because it allows the bar or liquor store to offer something that the consumer can’t get anywhere else,” says Scott Ruggiero, bartender at Denver’s Death & Co. Bars often feature their barrel picks in signature cocktails and offer unique selections on menus.
“These bottles are a true expression of a place and its people, connecting the imbiber to the craft,” says Douglas. “I’ve noticed consumers are starting with the question, ‘Show me something unique, something I’ve never had before,’ and a single barrel is a great response to that new wave of drinking culture.”
Blanton’s Bourbon
Food & Wine / Blanton’s Bourbon
No discussion of single barrel bourbon should begin without mentioning Blanton’s. Created by legendary master distiller Elmer T. Lee in the 1980s, Blanton’s was the first bourbon marketed as a single barrel product. The inspiration came from Lee’s mentor, Col. Albert Blanton, who would pick out a special barrel from what is now known as Buffalo Trace’s “Warehouse H” for important guests.
Blanton’s has become a hot commodity among collectors due to its approachable ABV, traditional flavor profile, and unique bottle design, with toppers that depict a jockey riding a horse. There are eight different toppers that, when aligned as a complete set, spell out “Blanton’s.”
Knob Creek Cask Strength Single Barrel Select Rye
Food & Wine / Knob Creek
Knob Creek bourbon and rye single barrel picks have been a favorite among whiskey aficionados for years due to their high ABV, affordability, and rich flavor. All single barrel selections were originally reduced to 120 proof (60% ABV). The brand recently announced that it will now offer undiluted selections at cask strength, which increases the variation between each individual barrel.
At cask strength, the undiluted and unfiltered whiskey continues to be a hit. “The single barrel program is a rye lover’s dream,” says Douglas. “All the signature profile notes of Knob Creek: smoky caramel, vanilla, kiss of toasted oak, but kicked up and grounded in its expression.”
Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon
Food & Wine / FOUR ROSES DISTILLERY LLC
Four Roses Single Barrel is among the most available and affordable single barrel bottlings from a legacy distillery. Available for around $40, the distillery’s standard single barrel offering is made using a rye-forward mash bill that gives it a depth of spice with an orchard fruit sweetness.
“It’s readily available and great for mixing in cocktails, especially an Old Fashioned,” says Ruggiero. “Aged between 7–9 years, it embodies the uniqueness of a single barrel bourbon.” Four Roses also offers a cask-strength single barrel that draws from all 10 of the distillery’s recipes, which allows retailers even more customization when selecting their single barrel.
Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon
Food & Wine / Campari America
Among bourbon enthusiasts, few single barrel programs elicit more fervor than Russell’s Reserve. Fans of the distillery obsess over the aging campus and individual rickhouse of each release. “What makes Russell’s unique is how consistent they are with their picks year after year, while still having complexity that keeps them on my radar for every release,” says Douglas.
Despite some variety in flavor and aroma, Russell’s Reserve single barrels generally nail the brand’s trademark confectionary-like profile. “I reach for this and immediately think about those old-school cherry hand pies, the signature toffee and vanilla-bean notes this family is known for, accompanied by dark cherry and a warm spice blend,” says Douglas.
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Tennessee Whiskey
Food & Wine / Jack Daniel Distillery
Most drinkers are familiar with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee whiskey, but not as many know about the historic distillery’s Single Barrel Select bottlings. At 90 proof, these single barrel offerings give fans of the distillery more flavor and some extra insight into the distillery’s whiskey-making process.
“[It has a] laffy-taffy flavor, almost like juicy fruit and toasted clove,” says Douglas. “It’s bold and rich due to its accelerated extraction of flavors, since their single barrel is only rested on the top floors of the rickhouses.”
Baker’s 7 Bourbon
Food & Wine / Baker’s
Named after Baker Beam, grandnephew of legendary distiller Jim Beam, Baker’s 7 is a low-rye, single barrel bourbon. Baker Beam is known as a bit of an iconoclast in Kentucky’s whiskey-making community, so it’s no wonder that the James B. Beam distillery named its only line of single barrel bourbons after him.
Unlike other whiskeys distilled at Beam, Baker’s is distilled to 125 proof and then barreled at 120 proof. The result is a bold, high-end bourbon that leans into the caramel and vanilla notes offered by the barrel, yet still maintains the classic, nutty signature profile of the distillery.
Wilderness Trail Family Reserve Single Barrel Rye
Food & Wine / Campari America
They may be newcomers to the Kentucky bourbon scene, but Wilderness Trail has quickly made a name for itself with its sour mash whiskey-making process. Its delicious, accessible bourbons and ryes can go toe-to-toe with offerings from legacy distillers.
The Family Reserve Single Barrel Rye is no exception. “It’s high proof, but with a softer finish on the palate that just invites more flavors to the forefront,” says Douglas. “I get brûléed red grapefruit, with green cardamom pods, lemon meringue and toasted wood.”
