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Wilderness and Whiskey

Barrell Vantage Bourbon Review: Worth $80?

Our Barrell Vantage bourbon review covers its 114 proof, three virgin oak finishes, creamy espresso notes, dry finish, and whether we'd pay $80 for a bottle.

In this post
  1. At a glance
  2. Nose: crème brûlée, fruit, and flat cola
  3. Palate: creamy espresso and green grapes
  4. Finish: dry oak, ginger, and a little pepper
  5. Value: a Costco sampler versus a full-size bottle
  6. Vantage deserves a full-size spot on the shelf

Barrell Vantage is a 114-proof bourbon blend we'd both make room for on the shelf. We liked how its three different oak finishes came together, delivering a creamy pour with espresso and wine-like grape sweetness.

At a glance

  • Proof: 114
  • Blend: Straight bourbon distilled in Indiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky
  • Finishes: Finished separately in three virgin oak barrels: Japanese Mizunara, French oak, and American oak
  • Mash bill: Undisclosed because it's a blend
  • Price: $89 MSRP; we think it's available directly from Barrell for about $80
  • Ratings: Tom gave it a red; Steve gave it a red on our scale

Nose: crème brûlée, fruit, and flat cola

The nose has a little funk and an unusual mix of aromas. We both picked up crème brûlée, followed by tropical fruit and what we thought might be apricot.

There was a little vanilla and nutmeg, too. The cola note was more like flat Coke, or maybe Coke Zero, than anything fizzy or sharp.

Palate: creamy espresso and green grapes

The first sip gave us a nice, creamy texture. One of us leaned toward espresso and coffee, while the other kept coming back to wine grapes.

That grape sweetness showed up toward the back of the palate. We compared it to a Chardonnay-style green grape, with an oily, wine-like feel.

The baking spice stayed subtle. We thought the oak helped tame it, letting the coffee and grape notes stand out.

Finish: dry oak, ginger, and a little pepper

The finish ran medium to long, with a slightly musty edge, a touch of ginger, and dry oak. We also found a little pepper.

The dryness reminded us of Chianti, imagined as a white wine. That's an odd comparison, but it captures the wine-like character we tasted.

The sweetness arrived clearly, then faded. It didn't hang around or make the finish too sweet.

Value: a Costco sampler versus a full-size bottle

About $80 feels high for a blend, but we thought Vantage was blended really well. That quality earned it a place on our shelves.

One of us bought it in a Costco three-pack for roughly $45 to $50 for the pack. It included Vantage and Seagrass; we don't remember the third bottle. That sampler gave us the bottle for Whiskey on the Fly, our bottle-revisit format.

We already had some experience with Barrell. We'd tried Seagrass and the yearly expressions, and we'd reviewed Batch 36. One of us thinks he'd also tried Batch 38, but Vantage wasn't familiar to both of us before this tasting.

Vantage deserves a full-size spot on the shelf

A Seagrass sample had already led one of us to buy a full-size bottle. We might do the same with Vantage. Even with the price giving us pause, this is a blend we'd be happy to keep around.

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