When it comes to bourbon whiskey, there are a lot of terms out there that can confuse drinkers as they start drinking. A few that come to mind right away are: allocated, bottled-in-bond, barrel proof, and single barrel bourbon. If you don’t know the basic definitions of these terms, you might feel overwhelmed and confused when standing in a bourbon aisle at your local liquor store. So let’s answer the question: What is single barrel bourbon and what makes it different than other bourbons?

What Is Single Barrel Bourbon?

In short, a single barrel bourbon is just how it sounds. It is a bourbon that is taken directly from one barrel and is not blended with other barrels.

Easy right?

If you are new to the world of bourbon, you might need a little more information than that. Let me expand just a bit.

Blended Bourbon

Most bourbon that you see on a store shelf is blended. This means a distillery takes a bunch of barrels and mixes them together to provide a consistent taste. It’s how you know a bottle of Maker’s Mark is going to taste the same if you buy it in Indiana or if you buy a bottle in Florida. The blending of bourbon is essentially an art that is performed by master distillers at each distillery.

If you are wondering why bourbon needs to be blended, think about this. The whole world of distilling is science at its core, but when it enters the real world, there are outside variables that can impact the flavor of a barrel of bourbon.

Let me give you an example:

Say I’m working at Buffalo Trace and I am making hundreds or thousands barrels a day. All of these barrels have the exact same white dog (aka distillate) with the exact same mash bill in a barrel with the exact same specifications. Shouldn’t everything taste the same? In theory, yes, but that’s not actually the case.

Once the barrel enters the warehouse, it is introduced to the most variable of variables out there. Mother nature.

Once you add mother nature into the mix, all bets are off in terms of consistency. If we have a hot summer and a really cold winter, some barrels might taste different than others. And depending on their location in the rick house, the taste can dramatically change. A barrel on the outside of the top floor has a higher average temperature than a barrel on the bottom floor in the middle of the warehouse. Location, time, and mother nature create the differences between each and every barrel.

The guys and gals in the business started to realize there were some barrels that were hands down better than other barrels. And they saw an opportunity to make some additional money by selling these under a different marketing tactic.

Side note: If I was a master distiller and I noticed there were some amazing barrels, I would have said nothing and just kept them for myself. Don’t get me wrong, I love to make money, but I wouldn’t give up an amazing barrel. Just my two cents.

Single Barrel Bourbon

With that, I introduce single barrel bourbon. Like I mentioned before, it’s a pretty simple definition. Bourbon taken from a single barrel and sold. It’s a once in a lifetime experience you will get that truly shows you the skill of the distiller (ok – that sounded really marketing lingo-y, but I really wanted to write it).

I have to imagine the process looks something like this:

The master distiller start the day by sampling 4 different barrels of bourbon. The 1st barrel tastes good, but it could use a little more spice. The 2nd barrel is a bit sweet, but close to what the distiller is looking for. The 3rd barrel – oh my. This might be the best barrel I’ve tasted this week. Send this one off to be bottled by itself. The 4th barrel sucks compared to that 3rd barrel.

I’m sure there is a more “official” process than this, but you get the idea.

In general, single barrel bourbons tend to be at a higher price point, but bring a large depth of flavor to each bottle. They are generally hand-selected and have the barrel number located on the bottle. Most people would argue that single barrel bourbons are more rich and robust in flavor. And since the average barrel only holds 180-220 bottles of bourbon, it’s likely that you will be one of just a handful of people to ever get to try that exact bourbon. Ever. In the history of the world.

Single Barrel Select

If you ever see the phrase “single barrel select” or “store pick,” you might want to know the difference between a single barrel and a barrel select bourbon.

As mentioned before, a single barrel bourbon is selected by a distiller and comes from one barrel of bourbon. A single barrel select is essentially the same thing, but someone other than the master distiller ends up picking the exact barrel.

Liquor stores, clubs, restaurants, etc sometimes coordinate with distilleries to purchase an entire barrel of bourbon (that they can choose). They usually send a group of people (or a really good individual) down and they get to sample selected barrels. Once a barrel is picked, it is labeled and bottled specifically for that customer.

These bottles can be some of the best bottles you’ll ever have (if you find a great team that is picking the barrel). I hope to some day do this with my online community (and I’d love for you to be a part of it)!

Is Single Barrel Bourbon Better?

In theory, yes. A single barrel bourbon should be better than a standard bourbon from a company.

I like to think of it this way: If I have an amazing barrel and I can sell it at a premium, why would I mix that with any other barrel?

I said in theory because it all comes down to the person doing the tasting and selecting the barrel. If you have someone with an amazing palate that lines up with yours, you might think the single barrel bourbon is the best thing since sliced bread. If you have someone with a completely different palate, you might think this was a waste of your time and money.

That’s why it’s important to do your research instead of just picking up a bottle and hoping for the best. I always try to look for tasting notes from people I trust, try to understand the barrel selection process from a given distillery, and focus on barrel selects from local liquor stores.

Conclusion

In conclusion, single barrel bourbon is a unique and highly sought-after type of whiskey that is known for its distinct flavor and depth of character. It is made from a single barrel of aged bourbon, which allows each bottle to offer a one-of-a-kind taste experience. While it may be more expensive than other types of bourbon, its unique qualities make it well worth the investment for many whiskey lovers. Whether enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in a classic cocktail, single barrel bourbon is sure to impress with its rich and complex flavor profile. Plus you might never drink the same bottle again, which adds to the lore of great barrels and great bourbons.