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2023 NCBS Barrel Picks

Rebel Yell
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01

Rebel Yell Cask Strength

Barrel# 7811049

Warehouse: #6; Floor - 6; Rick - 28; Tier - 3; Position - 3

Barreled: 15 October 2017

Bottled: November 2022

Age: 5 years

Proof: 120

Mash Bill: HH - 68% corn, 20% wheat, 12% malted barley.

Named: North Carolina Bourbon Society

Nose: black tea notes, note of wheat bread and corn.

Palate: buttered toffee, overtones of wild honey, dry cereal.

Finish: creamy, maple.

On 15 Sep 2022, the NCBS Pick Team spent the day with the folks at Lux Row. This amazing facility is perched upon a hill in Bardstown with an old refurbished farmhouse at the center of the private barrel selection experience.  

This is the second offering from that visit [the first was the Exra Brooks Cask Strength from December 2022]  Cheers!   

02

Elijah Craig SiB Barrel Proof

Barrel# 6513313

Warehouse: H1;  Floor 6

Barreled: 2013

Bottled: 2022

Proof: 130.9

Mash Bill: 78% corn, 12% malted barley, 10% rye

Named: Bourbon Brothers “Pinky and the Brain” Edition

Nose: leather, vanilla.

Palate: dark fruits, leather, vanilla and a hint of oak.

Finish: has a great mouth feel, has that ECBP taste that makes it hard to believe that it is over 132 proof, and has what most pick team members called an explosion at the end. 

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16 September 2022, the NCBS Barrel Selection Team was able to spend the morning in the new Heaven Hill Rick House that have floor to roof windows on one corner of the building. Our Hostess was Silvia and she rolled out some great barrels for us to try. The team took their time and would have stayed there all day if the would have let us!. 

The folks at Heaven Hill are always top notch, and we can't wait to go back and pick some more barrels.  #Cheers!   

ECBP
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03

Old Forester Barrel Proof

Barrel# 7207

Barreled: 26 July 2017

Wearhouse: I - 6th Floor

Proof: 129.7

Mash Bill: 72% corn, 18% rye, 10% barely.

Named: Old Force 

Nose: begins with a floral presentation and moves towards the fresh cracked pepper notes.

Palate: creamy honey suckle, toasted caramel banana, toffee.

Finish: explosive, long lasting, backing spice, "Brown-Foreman Gold".

On 4 February 2023, the NCBS Barrel Selection Team went to Old Forester and had the opportunity to work with Brown-Foreman on selecting another great Old Forester Barrel Proof Single Barrel.

This visit included three offerings, from two different warehouses. All three of the proofs were in the 130 range with traditional Old Forester notes. The team all agreed that there was one stand out with coveted toasted caramel banana that Brown-Forman is known for. We hope that you enjoy it!

OFPB
2022 NCBS RR Charity

04

Wild Turkey Charity Bottle

Barrel# 22-0799 Floor 4, Warehouse F

Barreled:  19 November 2013

Bottled:  12 October 2022

Proof: 110

Named: NCBS Charity

Nose: caramel, vanilla, oak, leather, and that old dusty Turkey funk.

Palate: holy Dusty Funk Batman, caramel, brown sugar, and vanilla with a hint of oaky goodness.

Finish: pipe tobacco, has a bit of a chew, fades away then circles back.

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5 August 2022, the NCBS Barrel Selection Team was able to spend the afternoon in the barrel selection Wearhouse with Eddie Russell. It was a crazy raining day; have there is no better place to spend a rainy day, than in rickhouse. You might remember that this was the same pick as the Wild Turkey Christmas Bottle.

Charity

05

NCBS Fill The Barrel Project

FTB

Barreled: 2 April 2022

Bottled: 4 February 2023

Wearhouse: BVE 1

Proof: 121

Named: Fill The Barrel Project

Nose: sweet musty oak but balanced by vanilla and a sweet orange / citrus note, there is some turkey funk on this one.

Palate: thick mouthfeel that coats the mouth, blast of caramel and vanilla followed by some earthier tobacco and leather notes.

Finish: drinks much lower then the proof, long and slow walk away of sweet tobacco and a spice.

Each year, NCBS selects a Russell's Reserve SiB for its Charity event. In 2022, that barrel arrived still wet. As such, the NCBS Board of Directors asked the members of the Society if they wanted to attempt a Wild Turkey Barrel refill blend project for charity. With tremendous feedback, the team made the preparations. The barrel was brought to the charity event and each member was allowed to dump a bottle of Wild Turkey back into the barrel.  The barrel was aged again for eleven-months, dumped, and returned to the members that had previously dumped a bottle in.