Barrell Batch 002

[IncredulousNosco]

First off, this is very good whiskey. I loved Barrell Whiskey Batch 001 and was very much looking forward to Batch 002.  I was apprehensive though, since it is sherry finished. I've never had a wine finished corn-heavy whiskey that I enjoyed...they're sweet enough already. Well luckily the sherry influence in this whiskey is VERY light. And damn, I love the 002 even more than the 001! It has everything the 001 had, but even more depth to the flavor and even better mouth-feel. And that buttered cornbread finish goes on and on. 

But what am I missing here?

I'm pretty confused about the statement on the front of the bottle of Barrell Whiskey’s Batch 002. The label states, "American Straight Whiskey." But the interesting thing about Barrell Whiskey Batch 001 & 002 is, as stated on the website, they are aged in used barrels.

The website clarifies Batch 002 is “Aged in Kentucky in previously used bourbon barrels.” http://www.barrellbourbon.com/whiskey-list

 

So if it is aged in used bourbon barrels, how is it Straight Whiskey?

 

Options are:

1.  It's wrong (the website or the bottle). 
2.  I’m confused.
3.  The whiskey was aged for at least 2 years in new oak casks, removed and aged for, what, 6-7 years in a different, previously used bourbon cask, then moved to a sherry cask for finishing (seems unlikely and odd).

 

My local Facebook whiskey group is pretty confused about this as well. I have emailed Barrell, but haven't heard back yet. 

 

About that label:

 

[IncredulousNosco]

Noted by a fellow in my Facebook group: https://www.ttb.gov/spirits/bam/chapter4.pdf

 

Quote

Straight Whisky:

· Whisky produced from a
fermented mash of less than
51 percent of any one type of
grain and stored in charred
new oak containers for 2
years or more

 

· “Straight Whisky” may include
mixtures of two or more
straight whiskies provided all
of the whiskies are produced
in the same state

 

So new barrels and no grain at > 51%.  Check. Except for according to the Barrell website, outside of the bizarre option 3 noted in the OP. 

[IncredulousNosco]

Okay. so I heard from Barrell!

 

Anyway, they clarified that this is labeled "Straight Whiskey" and is aged in used cooperage under the "Straight Corn Whiskey" requirements.  So apparently you just just call it "Straight Whiskey" even though it is specifically "Straight Corn Whiskey." I didn't guess that option.

 

What still confuses me is that "Straight whiskey" is supposed to NOT have a >51% component and MUST be aged in new barrels. Whereas "Straight Corn Whiskey" must have a > 51% corn component be be aged in used barrels. So I don't see how one term can be substituted for the other. 

 

[kevinbrink]

See Mellow Corn

[tanstaafl2]

On ‎12‎/‎6‎/‎2016 at 5:03 PM, IncredulousNosco said:

Okay. so I heard from Barrell!

 

Anyway, they clarified that this is labeled "Straight Whiskey" and is aged in used cooperage under the "Straight Corn Whiskey" requirements.  So apparently you just just call it "Straight Whiskey" even though it is specifically "Straight Corn Whiskey." I didn't guess that option.

 

What still confuses me is that "Straight whiskey" is supposed to NOT have a >51% component and MUST be aged in new barrels. Whereas "Straight Corn Whiskey" must have a > 51% corn component be be aged in used barrels. So I don't see how one term can be substituted for the other. 

 

It does get rather confusing. Without knowing the true mashbill it is hard to say how it should be labeled. Add in the fact that the TTB seems to regularly allow labeling that is not accurate according to their own standards and who knows what this might really be.  

 

To be straight corn whiskey it must be at least 80% corn like the Mellow Corn mentioned above. If it is truly straight corn whiskey I would also think you can't just drop the corn part from the label just because you want to but that may be exactly what they did. Perhaps they just didn't want to put the word "corn" on the label because it might make it seem less appealing to people and its association with the misnomer "moonshine". A really expensive "moonshine"!

 

But as you note "straight corn whiskey" and "straight whiskey" mean two very different things and I don't think in this case it is correct to say "straight whiskey" (or "whisky" as the TTB routinely and oddly seems to use).

 

So my guess is that it is marketing BS and/or incorrectly labeled (whether intentional or not).

 

Edited February 9, 2017 by tanstaafl2