The Ohio Department of Liquor (OHLQ) has announced the availability of seven (7) barrels worth of Savage & Cooke Distillery’s Burning Chair Cask Strength Single Barrel expressions, hitting shelves this week (Week of October 9th) for a price of $69.99 + tax (or $66.99 depending on what page you believed on the OHLQ website). Each barrel has been aged a minimum of four years.
The seven barrels are:
- Barrel #1062 - 115.4 Proof (57.7% alcohol) - Aroma notes of baked apple, cinnamon, and nutmeg meet a palate with caramel up front that turns into honey as it moves across with hints of vanilla, orange, and plum.
- Barrel #1065 - 116.4 Proof (58.2% alcohol) - A nose of Red Delicious apple and pear, with peppery tones, precedes a flavor profile that brings forward maple syrup and a buttery, and yeasty quality like a nice brioche.
- Barrel #1066 - 115.4 Proof (57.7% alcohol) - Aromatic notes of beeswax, cedar chest, and wool give forth to a palate marked by notes of citrus and buttered sweet corn with pastry on the finish.
- Barrel #1068 - 116.2 Proof (58.1% alcohol) - Olive and pimento notes on the nose evoke a Dirty Martini before a unique combination of flavors: more savory notes of tarragon, anise, onion, brine meet sweeter ones of orchard fruit compote (pear, apple, apricot, and plum).
- Barrel #1069 - 114.8 Proof (57.4% alcohol) - The pleasing aroma of saddle leather, honeysuckle, and lemon essential oil anticipates a sweeter lemon sensation on the palate like lemon candy, elevated by a hint of crème brulée.
- Barrel #1070 - 115.6 Proof (57.8% alcohol) - The flavor profile builds from vanilla to creamsicle and flows on through to a honied finale that brings a nice heat.
- Barrel #1071 - 116.4 Proof (58.2% alcohol) - Buttered popcorn and straw bale make for an appealing nose and the flavors of orange marmalade and sweet creamy caramel likewise are appealing to the palate.
You can use this site to check availability until the product is sold out.
My Take
This seems like a lot of money for a four year single barrel. Maybe it isn't and maybe the price makes sense because Savage & Cooke is probably a smaller distillery with higher costs. In full transparency, I had never heard of this brand or distillery before today so I don't have a ton to offer other than if this is your first experience with Burning Chair, you may be better off getting a cheaper bottle to check the quality before jumping on the exclusive release bandwagon.
What do you think? Drop a note in the comment box below.
Source: OHLQ