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    Home » People of Whisky

    Published Jul 5, 2019 · Updated Apr 16, 2022 · by Tammy Spencer · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Selecting Single Barrel Picks for Limited Edition Bottles

    Jump to Reviews

    Choosing a single cask allows a retailer to create a unique bottling, like this exceptional lineup from this year's Gordon's Single Barrel Selections. Bourbon and Rye Whiskey selections at their best!

    Collage of bourbon, whisky, and rye whiskey bottles on a counter.this …

    Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to go to a distillery you like, sample a few drams, then pick the one you like best and bring it home?

    (Uhm…isn’t that how whisky tastings work?)

    Well, what if you like the expressions so much that you want the whole cask?

    Jump To: hide
    Barrel picks for private bottling
    Gordon’s Single Barrel Selections
    Gordon’s Private Selection Sagamore Spirit Rye Straight Whiskey
    Gordon’s WhistlePig Single Barrel Rye 10yr 2019
    Gordon’s Private Cask Barrell Craft Rye 2019
    Gordon’s Private Cask 1792 Full Proof 9yr 2019
    An added bonus
    Kavalan Maestro Sherry Cask
    Final Thoughts
    Related Tasting Notes

    Barrel picks for private bottling

    That’s what retailers do when they want to bottle and sell a particular cask from a particular distillery. Independent bottlers, like Single Cask Nation do something similar.

    I’m simplifying the process of course, but when a retailer selects a cask, they can have control over creating or finishing that cask. Some distillers, like Four Roses, allow their client to choose the mash bill (i.e. what gets distilled into the initial spirit) for their private labels.

    Others (like Maker’s Mark) give the client a choice of the staves (the slats that make up a barrel) in which to finish their selections. Whatever the choices, the retailer ends up with a unique limited edition bottling.

    Maker's Mark finishing staves on a counter in front of a box.
    Your choices for barrel finishing staves include staves from ex-bourbon, sherry, and port casks, among others

    Ken Gordon of Gordon’s DTX, my favorite local retailer (and not just because they host Whisky Wednesday every week), has an exceptional palate and a talent for picking private selection expressions that are excellent.

    This week’s tasting featured some of Ken’s whiskey and rye selections for this year’s Gordon’s Single Barrel Selections, all at cask strength. And boy, were they good!

    Gordon’s Single Barrel Selections

    At Gordon’s DTX, July 3, 2019

    Gordon’s Private Selection Sagamore Spirit Rye Straight Whiskey

    55%ABV
    Type: American

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: caraway, walnuts, vanilla fudge
    • Taste: starts hot, strong baking spices, cinnamon, cloves, then the rye notes hit
    • Finish: anise, cinnamon, caramel at the end
    • Comments: a strong spirit, rye hides a bit at first then peeks out at the end

    Gordon’s WhistlePig Single Barrel Rye 10yr 2019

    58.2%ABV
    Type: American

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: honey, nutmeg, almonds, anise
    • Taste: rye, anise, white pepper, brown sugar
    • Finish: fades to fudge & caraway
    • Comments: very pleasant, strong & sweet, rye is present but it overwhelmingly so
    Collage of Sagamore Rye Whiskey & WhistlePig Single Barrel Rye on a counter.

    Gordon’s Private Cask Barrell Craft Rye 2019

    63.09%ABV
    Type: American

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: strong rye, caramel, brown sugar, white chocolate
    • Taste: brown sugar, quickly transitions to very strong rye and black peppercorns, hot cayenne pepper
    • Finish: fades to cinnamon and dill pickles
    • Comments: if you like rye, this one’s for you...all the flavors are there

    Gordon’s Private Cask 1792 Full Proof 9yr 2019

    63.7%ABV
    Type: American

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: caramel, light almond meal
    • Taste: strong black pepper to almonds, peppermint, cinnamon, strong cloves, ginger
    • Finish: baking spices linger long & strong, basil at the very end
    • Comments: so good! Bourbon at its best; flavors flip through like a deck of cards

    An added bonus

    We were lucky enough to have Laura Kanzler from Kavalan  to add to the fun. There were three expressions she was sampling, of which I tasted one.

    Kavalan Maestro Sherry Cask

    57.1%ABV
    Type: Taiwanese

    Tasting Notes

    • Nose: toffee, plums, cooked fruit, pineapple
    • Taste: deep and dark prunes, black cherries, caramel, coffee, dark chocolate
    • Finish: mocha, prunes
    • Comments: Wow! Deep fruit flavors and cinnamon with a hint of chewing on peppercorns; this dram is like a fine wine
    Collage of Kavalan Maestro Whisky, 1792 Bourbon, & Barrell bourbon on a counter.

    Final Thoughts

    I didn’t have a chance to add water to any of my samples, and I suspect that a couple of drops would bring out more layers of flavor from any of these expressions.

    I took home the 1792, and I saw several of my friends grab the Sagamore and the Barrell.

    Kudos to Ken for creating an exceptional whiskey and rye lineup for Gordon’s Single Barrel Selections…I can't wait to try his next choices!

    Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!

    Tammy

    Related Tasting Notes

    Whiskey comes in many different styles. There's bourbon, rye whiskey, blended whiskey, and peated whiskey. Here's where you can find a rye whiskey I've reviewed in a lineup.

    • Rye Whiskey

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    Hi, I'm Tammy! My fascination with baking comes from my love of science and the magic of bringing together ingredients to produce something yummy. Coupling that with my appreciation of scotches and bourbons, I love to bake stuff, jot down my whisky tasting notes, and share my experiences with you!

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