Barrell Craft Spirits Gray Label Dovetail American Whiskey

Nose: Green grape, tart apple, and pollen lead into one very vivid note of just-pressed cider. The notes of gooseberry jam, cranberry sauce, and dried apricot are pronounced and defined. Maple walnut ice cream, tahini, and leather provide a subtle, savory undertone.

Palate: Robust and impeccably balanced, with flavors ranging from strawberry rhubarb pie to fennel pollen. Flan and coconut oil provide a rich and creamy texture that balances some light sandy tannin and modest astringency. Depth seems to come mostly from the oldest Canadian whiskeys, in the form of fennel, poppy seed and peppercorn. Allspice, ginger, and cola notes from the French and American oak round it out.

Finish: A burst of licorice candy and molasses gives way to
Earl Grey Tea with honey. The palate is left with a range of dusty mineral notes, among them necco wafers, oyster shell, and squid ink.

With a splash of spring water: Classical notes of crème brulée and funnel cake take the lead. The complexity here is more savory, with shiso, tomato, and tajin. An unexpected burst of lychee on the finish yields to charcoal and paraffin.