Dovetail is the most ambitious thing Barrell makes, and the name describes the method. A dovetail joint interlocks two pieces of wood so tightly that no fastener is needed, and this whiskey attempts the same trick with three separate cask finishes. The blend is finished in rum barrels, port pipes and Cabernet Sauvignon barrels from Dunn Vineyards on Howell Mountain in Napa, and each contributes something the others cannot. Rum casks bring tropical sweetness and a molasses richness. Port pipes add dried fruit, plum and a wine dark depth. The Cabernet barrels contribute tannin, dark berry and a structural dryness that stops the whole thing collapsing into sweetness, which is the real difficulty with multi cask finishing and the reason so few producers attempt three at once. Barrell does not distil. It sources finished barrels from established distilleries and blends them, then bottles at cask strength with nothing added and nothing removed. This bottling came to 61.27 percent alcohol by volume, 122.54 proof, and that odd decimal is the proof of the claim: no dilution to reach a round number. It is a substantial whisky by any measure, considerably stronger than most American whiskey on a shelf. What lands in the glass is dense and layered, with dried fruit, molasses and dark berry over a firm oak spine, warm baking spice and a long, drying tannic finish. Drink it neat first to understand the architecture, then add water in careful increments, because at over 122 proof it opens dramatically and rewards patience.
ABV / Proof
| ABV |
61.27% |
| Proof |
122.54 |
| Size |
750ml |
| Country |
United States |
| Category |
Whiskey |
| Expression |
Dovetail, Cask Strength |
| Finishing |
Rum barrels, port pipes and Dunn Vineyards Cabernet barrels |
| Bottling Strength |
Cask strength, batch specific |
| Age |
No age statement |
| Producer |
Barrell Craft Spirits |
Tasting Notes
Color: Deep reddish amber, noticeably darker than an unfinished bourbon.
Nose: Layered and rich, with dried fruit, molasses and dark berry over toasted oak and warm baking spice.
Palate: Dense and full at cask strength, carrying plum and raisin sweetness from the port, tropical molasses from the rum, and dark berry with firm tannin from the Cabernet barrels.
Finish: Long and drying, closing on tannic oak, spice and lingering dark fruit.
FAQ
What proof is this bottle? 122.54 proof, or 61.27 percent alcohol by volume, bottled at cask strength. Dovetail is released in batches and the strength varies between them, so check the figure on the bottle.
What casks is it finished in? Three types: rum barrels, port pipes and Cabernet Sauvignon barrels from Dunn Vineyards in Napa. Each contributes a different character, and the blend is built so they interlock rather than compete.
Is it flavoured? No. All of the character comes from the whiskey and the wood it rested in. Nothing has been added.
Is it bourbon? The label designates it simply as whiskey rather than as bourbon or rye. Barrell sources and blends finished barrels and the triple cask finishing takes it outside a single category designation.
Should I add water? Yes, after tasting it neat. At over 122 proof this is a big whiskey, and small additions of water open the fruit and soften the tannin considerably.
Where can I buy Barrell Dovetail online? Available here at Liquor On Broadway while stock lasts, with fast insured shipping nationwide.
