Barrell Dovetail

DOVETAIL

Barrell Dovetail features woody bourbon finished in Dunn Vineyards Cabernet casks, Late Bottled Vintage Port pipes, and blackstrap molasses rum casks. Each release is blended to taste and bottled at true cask strength, resulting in subtle proof variations between blends. Barrell Dovetail is a whiskey as unique as it is delicious, its interlocking components both visible and seamlessly merged — just like a perfect dovetail joint in a handmade cabinet.

Woodworkers spend years perfecting their dovetail joints. The best are painstakingly cut by hand, ensuring that each interlocking piece fits together perfectly. Done well, a dovetail joint is both beautiful and strong, transcending utilitarian carpentry and approaching the realm of art. No wonder they’re almost never hidden, but instead proudly displayed on the front edges of drawers and tops of chests as the hallmark of a life dedicated to craft.

Whiskey making, of course, is another type of woodworking — only our medium is oak barrels, not cherry or walnut boards. We spent almost a year perfecting the blend for Barrell Dovetail, honing the interplay between the various components in much the same way a cabinetmaker fine-tunes the fit between pin and tail.

FLAVOR NOTES

​Neat

Appearance: Rose gold with highlights of worn copper.

​Nose: Opens with mature aromas both sweet (canelé, panna cotta, crème de noyaux) and savory (walnut oil, leather). This is followed quickly by a vast array of fruit derived both from the spirit (smoked apricot, grapefruit peel) as well as the cask treatment (sloe gin, damson jam). The aroma is high toned, pungently floral and herbaceous, with subtle, balancing pops of minerality.

​Palate: Darker (cocoa, molasses, burnt marshmallow) and spicier (cola, nutmeg, Tellicherry peppercorn) than the nose, an effect well-complemented by the cask treatment and rendered more complex by the savory and herbaceous themes running throughout.

​Finish: A sweet and elegant signature of rose jelly, chestnut honey, and Pineau des Charentes that also features hazelnut, eucalyptus, and Corsican mint.

​With a few drops of spring water:

An unexpected avalanche of orange and tropical notes of watermelon, lychee and vanilla on the nose.

AWARDS

• San Francisco World Spirits Competition - DOUBLE GOLD (2022), (2023)
• San Francisco World Spirits Competition - GOLD (2019)
• Ascot Awards - BEST SPECIAL BARREL-FINISHED WHISKEY (2021)
• Ascot Awards - DOUBLE PLATINUM (2021)
• John Barleycorn Awards - BEST AMERICAN WHISKEY (2021)
• John Barleycorn Awards - DOUBLE GOLD (2021)
• Ultimate Spirits Challenge - CHAIRMAN'S TROPHY (2020)
• Ultimate Spirits Challenge - TOP 100 SPIRITS (2020)
• Ultimate Spirits Challenge - 97 POINTS (2020)
• New York International Spirits Competition - DOUBLE GOLD (2020)
• New York International Spirits Competition - 96 POINTS (2020)
• Whiskies of the World - GOLD - Whiskey: Barrel Finished category (2019)
• Whisky Advocate rating of 90

NOTABLE PRESS FOR DOVETAIL

​GOLF.com highlights Barrell Dovetail as one of the best cask-finished spirits for summer, describing it as an "assemblage of flavors and aromas."

​UPROXX lists BCS Gold Label Seagrass in "The Best Rum-Finished American Whiskeys, Ranked," saying, "You’ll always find something fun, new, and intriguing every time you return to this pour." Barrell Seagrass, Dovetail, and Armida are also included.

​​​Men's Journal includes Dovetail in their roundup of 10 Special-Barrel-Finished Whiskeys You Need to Try: "a memorable whiskey packing flavors of molasses, toasted marshmallows, dried fruits, chocolate, vanilla, and cracked black pepper."

​Gear Patrol features Barrell Dovetail in their article titled The Best Bourbons to Buy in 2022, According to Experts

​Breaking Bourbon Reviews Barrell Dovetail: Barrell Craft Spirits Continues to Impress With a Whiskey Release Layered In Flavors That’s as Satisfying as it is Unique