High West Campfire Refresh: French & Hungarian Oak Finish

[ChainWhip]

Apparently High West's Campfire is getting a refresh with the "XO" (extra oak) mark in front of the Batch # to distinguish it as having been finished in "new French & Hungarian wine barrels" (I'm guessing Sauternes & Tokaji?). These are apparently being processed now and the switchover should happen in the very near future.

I'm curious how it turns out as I absolutely adore the Campfire.

[HighInTheMtns]

Apparently High West's Campfire is getting a refresh with the "XO" (extra oak) mark in front of the Batch # to distinguish it as having been finished in "new French & Hungarian wine barrels" (I'm guessing Sauternes & Tokaji?). These are apparently being processed now and the switchover should happen in the very near future.

I'm curious how it turns out as I absolutely adore the Campfire.

[LostBottle]

Mat, can you chime in about the taste difference? I am guessing that being French red oak, it will be spicer and show more tannins that the American white oak counterpart?

Edited September 18, 2013 by LostBottle

[HighInTheMtns]

Mat, can you chime in about the taste difference? I am guessing that being French red oak, it will be spicer and show more tannins that the American white oak counterpart?

Guessing sweetness from the former occupants of the casks as well. I'm not sure that the standard Campfire was mingled in casks prior to bottling.

[LostBottle]

"New French and Hungarian wine barrels". Does new mean this Campfire is from first fill wine barrels, or that the barrels are brand new French oak barrels normally used for wine? "Finished" does tend to mean they held something else, but "extra oak" leads me to believe they may be new barrels used for the spicy notes that French oak tends to impart.

Edited September 18, 2013 by LostBottle

[ChainWhip]

New oak barrels is the word

[final442]

I don't have the bottle in front of me, but got my first bottle of Campfire last night in NY to try out and the batch started with a "XO" and I remember the bottle # as 2950.

This is my first bottle of Campfire so I can't compare to others but I thought it was a super interesting sip and very smooth. Dominated by rye with a little sweetness on the palette, followed by a nice finish with the smoke from the scotch coming through followed by a small but definitive rye spiciness. This bottle will probably go down quickly.

[ChainWhip]

Thx final442 (soccer formation reference?) - I am very much looking forward to this bottle... No XO bottles at my local store yet.

[final442]

I checked the bottle and the batch was "XO-2" , no date listed. I couldn't help but have another pour which was again very good in my opinion.

My name is actually a college basketball reference, for the Final 4 and 42 was the # of my favorite player on Uconn when they beat Duke in the 1999 championship game.

[Beer&Bourbon]

I like the campfire, but I'm not a huge fan. I'm a big fan of dessert wines, though. It looks like these aren't finished in dessert wine casks; are there any bourbons that have been finished in tokaji barrels? Or beers, maybe? Time for some investigation...

[ChainWhip]

B&B-

Have you had the Angel's Envy bourbons & rye? Those are finished in Port & Rum/Cognac barrels respectively.

[bearmark]

I like the campfire, but I'm not a huge fan. I'm a big fan of dessert wines, though. It looks like these aren't finished in dessert wine casks; are there any bourbons that have been finished in tokaji barrels? Or beers, maybe? Time for some investigation...

[B.B. Babington]

are these both limousin oak or something else?

[smokinjoe]

All I can say, is I totally dig on the original Campfire. Just so funkalicious... Totally whacked whiskey. Goofballish. Absurd. But, it really works for me. :crazy:

[p_elliott]

All I can say, is I totally dig on the original Campfire. Just so funkalicious... Totally whacked whiskey. Goofballish. Absurd. But, it really works for me. :crazy:

Tell us how you really feel Joe?

[Enoch]

Stopped by my local store and they had 2 bottles. One was batch 10 and the other was batch 13FO5. What does the FO5 mean?

[squire]

French Oak? . . . . . . . .

[ChainWhip]

Batch XO-2 spotted in Washington State

[Trey Manthey]

Batch XO-2 spotted in Washington State

How did this one turn out? I've got one open Campfire and another waiting, so I'm not going to get an XO-2 if it's not noticeably different.

[ChainWhip]

How did this one turn out? I've got one open Campfire and another waiting, so I'm not going to get an XO-2 if it's not noticeably different.

[GaryT]

We had an XO-1 side by side with a non-XO Campfire back in November, along with Dave Perkins to explain what he was shooting for. Unfortunately this was a couple hours into tasting some other lovely pours, so no detailed notes (tanssaafl - not sure if you recollect any specifics?). I do recall there being a subtle difference between the two, but not overwhelming so (which was their goal). I liked both; don't recall preferring one over the other. Don't have a standard Campfire on-hand, but will bring the XO to the next GBS event to repeat the comparison.

[tanstaafl2]

I don't clearly remember this morning... The Crown Royal tasting I went to last night may have had something to do with that! :cool:

I do recall having a fairly extended discussion on Bulleit, the Stitzel-Weller distillery and bourbon in general with the Diageo rep Kevin Mulcahy but as is usually the case nothing really substantive came of that. He indicated strongly that Bulleit was made "from scratch" specifically to their own specifications on the Four Roses equipment and wasn't just Four Roses whiskey. Only people who know that for sure haven't, as far as I know, been willing to kiss and tell publicly!

I do recall there was only a subtle difference but I was rather deep into rum that day and had a second party to attend afterwards so not sure my memory can be counted on!

We had an XO-1 side by side with a non-XO Campfire back in November, along with Dave Perkins to explain what he was shooting for. Unfortunately this was a couple hours into tasting some other lovely pours, so no detailed notes (tanssaafl - not sure if you recollect any specifics?). I do recall there being a subtle difference between the two, but not overwhelming so (which was their goal). I liked both; don't recall preferring one over the other. Don't have a standard Campfire on-hand, but will bring the XO to the next GBS event to repeat the comparison.