Barrell Bourbon Batch 036

Barrell Bourbon Batch 036 is a batch-numbered bourbon, and the number matters. Bourbon released in numbered batches is blended in discrete lots, so the profile can differ from one batch to the next. Treat the notes below as what bourbon of this type usually delivers, and use Batch 036 as the label if you want to find this exact bottling again. Proof, age and mash bill aren't stated in the product details, so check the bottle's label for them. Bourbon must be at least 51 percent corn and aged in new charred oak, which accounts for the typical profile. Expect a sweet corn and caramel core, vanilla and toasted oak from the char, and a little baking spice or pepper from the rye or wheat in the grain bill. Bourbon of this kind usually has no smoke. The char shows up as a toasted, slightly bitter oak edge. Nose it first before you pour the second glass. A Glencairn concentrates the aromatics and makes it easier to tell the vanilla and oak from the spice. To drink it neat, pour about an ounce and a half into a Glencairn and let it sit for a minute. If the first sip feels hot, add a few drops of room-temperature water. Water loosens the alcohol and tends to bring out the sweeter, fruitier notes. On the rocks suits a rocks glass and a single large cube, which chills the bourbon with little dilution. Smaller cubes melt faster and flatten the oak and spice. In cocktails, a bourbon with this much corn sweetness works well in an Old Fashioned. Use a sugar cube or a teaspoon of rich syrup, two dashes of Angostura and an orange peel expressed over the glass. It also suits a Manhattan with sweet vermouth and bitters, where the rye spice cuts through the vermouth. For a Whiskey Sour, shake two ounces with three-quarters of an ounce each of lemon juice and simple syrup, and add egg white if you want a silkier texture. For a highball, pour over ice with ginger ale or soda and a lemon wedge. This keeps the vanilla and caramel forward and makes a lighter, longer drink.