Barrell Rye Batch 003 Review

Barrell Rye Batch 003 is a blend of rye from three countries making this a global blend. Based on their bourbon, I was expecting this to be blend of KY and IN rye, but when I turned it over and saw TN not KY listed and the addition of Canada and Poland I went from interested to deeply intrigued because this… this is unique.

I’ve had several of the Barrel Bourbon releases over the years, but this is the first time I’ve been able to dig into what they’re doing from a rye perspective and, spoiler, I have to say… I’m not mad at it. There isn’t much else to say up here so let’s get into it!

Barrell Rye Batch 003 – Details and Tasting Notes

Whiskey Details

Region: Tennessee, Indiana, Poland, Canada

Blender: Barrell
Mash Bill: 51%+ Rye + Corn + Malted Barley
Cask: New Charred Oak
Age: 4 Years
ABV: 58.35%

Cask Strength | Non-Chill Filtered | Natural Color

Batch: 003
Bottle: 6,944

Price: $90*

White background tasting shot with the Barrell Rye Batch 003 bottle and a glass of whiskey next to it.

“A blend of straight Rye Whiskeys. Distilled and aged in Indiana, Tennessee, Poland, and Canada. Selection of 4 to 14-year-old barrels. Crafted and bottled in Kentucky” – Barrell Craft Spirits

Tasting Notes

EYE
Medium caramel

NOSE
Fresh rye bread, dried cherries, oak, copper, baking spice, menthol, caramel, lime zest, and caramelized bananas.

PALATE
Oak, olde candy, rye toast, baking spice, molasses cookie, dried orchard fruit, cherry, citrus, caramel, earthy hay, alcohol and peanuts.

FINISH
Long -> Rye, oak, dried cherry and candied citrus

BALANCE, BODY and FEEL
Good sense of balance, full body and an oily feel.

Barrell Rye Batch 003 – Overall
Aroma has a delicate-dessert-meets-heavy-rustic-spice profile that’s fun and interesting but doesn’t quite cross into WTF territory – it could use more dark and oaky notes to balance out the lighter fruit notes; Palate gets a bit oakier and some bigger caramel and herbally spicy notes arrive as it opens; Finish is a long sweet fade sprinkled with oak.

Adding water brings out a bit more nutty, charred and menthol notes on the aroma and peanut butter taffy, fruit, and cocoa notes on the palate. It doesn’t come through as youthful, nor as old, but as a happy medium and reminds me of older bottles of Rendezvous Rye and Double Rye.

Barrell Rye Batch 003 – Final Thoughts and Score

This is just an outstanding, complex, rye with a solid delivery from nose to finish. This whiskey takes me back to 2007/2008 when High West was a monster of depth from their harmonious blending of young and old ryes. I always loved the way they worked together to unleash the best of each which is exactly what’s going on here.

Barrell have become masters of the blend and they’re pumping out one great release after another with no signs of slowing down or moving backward in quality. This Barrel Rye Batch 003 is a fantastic global blend and makes me even more excited for what’s to come.

SCORE: 4/5

*Disclosure: The bottle for this rye whiskey review was graciously sent to me by the company without obligation. The views, opinions, and tasting notes are 100% my own.