Barrell Craft Spirits Gray Label Seagrass 16 Year Old Rye Whiskey

A complex journey makes for a complex, deep, and mature Whiskey.

Why is the extra letter “L" in Barrell Craft Spirits? Company founder — Joe Beatrice — just ain’t saying. But he will tell you all day long about his passion for the work that they do to preserve unique orphan casks of American Whiskey. Founded in 2014, Barrell Craft Spirits scoops up extra casks of premium Bourbon and Rye and bottles ‘em up at full strength. Each batch is completely different. Sometimes the coolest casks on the market are Tennessee-style Whiskeys, sometimes they’re Kentucky Bourbon. The good stuff could be straight, or it could be a finished wood. The point is that they find the best odd lots and “left-overs” that would more likely be tossed into a generic blend and sell it to us in all of their glory.

Barrell Craft Spirits Gray Label Seagrass 16 Year Old Rye Whiskey follows a complex recipe. It’s made with two different groups of 16YO 100% Canadian Rye barrels: one packed with bright citrus and crisp green apple notes, the other with earthy spearmint flavors. The first liquid was finished in Apricot Brandy, while the other was rested in Martinique Rhum. The two groups were blended and then, the blend was finally finished in Malmsey Madeira barrels. Quite the journey, right? The result is deeply mature with grassy aromas while the oily palate is nutty and Madeira-forward, packed with bright and tropical fruits.