We have a lot of whiskey. Our collection is one of the coolest things about us. It stands 10 feet high, spanning the length of our bar, with golden amber glowing through the bottles. It’s our “whiskey wall,” loaded with potential. Collectors themselves are in awe, spotting bottles they’ve seen only once, ages ago, or just heard of. Here’s what makes us more than a collection.
We work with many brands selecting private barrels. The unique thing about this is that what seems like a regular bottle released by the distillery has actually been a barrel hand-selected by, well, professionals.
A few years ago, on a perfect October day, I tagged along for my first private barrel selection. This was something special, perhaps more so for me because I had never stepped foot in a bourbon distillery before (more of a wine girl, remember?).
Ironically, the barrel we were selecting that day was one of my favorite bourbons: Four Roses.
Walking into this barrel selection was intimidating, but I found comfort in the enthusiasm of the team I was with. We ended up in a large room, with a place setting for each of us and 10 Glencairns lined up on a turntable, each simply labeled 1-10.
We started tasting, silently at first. My notepad kept me company as I scribbled down the first tasting notes I could pick up for each. Every one was so different. Four Roses, a bourbon brand built on love and named after a corsage of roses, ties passion, science, skill, and quality into all they do. They use two different mash bills and five different yeast strains to create 10 totally unique recipes and flavor profiles. Real magic.
Then, we started talking. What did you think? This one feels this way, this one feels that way. I like the finish here but there’s not enough heat. This one is a little herbal, this one a little floral. What do we want?
This barrel would be totally ours, branded with our company name, “Damn Good Hospitality,” and bottled when the time comes for each bottle to be branded as well. I see this as confirmation of quality. We’ve hand-selected this barrel, we always pick winners. Our barrel picks are like a resume, and the beautiful thing about getting to know them and understand our style is you can always guarantee that our barrels will be the best one in the room.
We have a list of over 30 private barrel selections at Warren for you to taste. My favorite thing to recommend is to taste it next to the distillery release. It might not always be a single barrel, but the comparison is eye-opening. The good news is that if you get hooked, you can take a bottle home with you!
The bad news is that once they’re gone, they’re gone. Although we can never recreate that magic again, what we can hold onto is the experience. Whether you’re with us selecting your first DGH barrel, tasting your first, or reminiscing on your most recent sip, trust me, what’s happening here is truly unique.
Four Roses DGH Private Barrel Pick OESV
115 Proof
Aged 10 Years and 5 Months
75% Corn, 20% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
On the nose, pear, apricot, and maple.
On the palate, rich and powerful, with notes of bright red fruit, cocoa, and clove.
A long and warm finish, showing allspice, cinnamon, and oak.
We offer our most recent Four Roses barrel selection for $25 an ounce. Come check it out!
Cheers!
Jess
