You can now buy your own bourbon barrel with Sazerac’s Barrel Select

If you’re anything like me, big booze barrels only feature in action films where they get theatrically shot with a rogue bullet and subsequently dispense golden liquid everywhere with a satisfying glug glug glug. Or, they’re picturesquely upcycled in a boho-chic farmhouse style wedding with Emma and Jack graffitied in calligraphy on the side. However, single barrel whiskies and bourbons are known for producing exquisite, premium liquid that show how no two drams are quite the same.

Sazerac are going one level further raising awareness of single barrel bourbons, and have launched a special experience from their award-winning distilleries. Sazerac’s Barrel Select lets individuals and small groups visit Sazerac’s American Buffalo Trace distilleries, have a private tour, and select their very own single barrel. How do you go about selecting your own single barrel? You guessed it, you get to do a taste test - or “sampling”, as they describe it.

You’ll be trying some of their finest barrels, touring, tasting, and personalising your spirit. Plus, you can even get your hands on the empty wooden barrel itself - because we all find ourselves in need of a giant barrel from time to time, right?

It’s pricey — you’re looking at something like £11,000 or £12,000 per barrel, possibly more, possibly less, for around 250 bottles. That yield and price will be dependent on the individual barrel. But for the cash-flush bourbon lovers out there, it’s an opportunity not to be missed. We were lucky enough to get to try some of the liquid on offer — read on for what you need to know.

What about the whiskies?

Each barrel is housed in a separate warehouse and are all matured in slightly different ways, as Buffalo Trace alters each warehouse’s climate through variables including flooring material (brick vs concrete), time, floor level, and temperature. And, to add to the mystery and elusiveness of the whole experience, none of the barrels have names - they are simply known by which alphabetical warehouse they originate from. And these warehouses have more detail about each individual barrel than any passports, birth certificates, or LinkedIn bios do.

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Warehouse U

These barrels have been aged for eight years, 10 months, and 17 days - not that anyone is counting, clearly. These barrels are stacked six ricks high, meaning there is far greater difference between each barrel produced; barrels on the lower ricks have a cooler, moister climate meaning the ageing is slower, as water can penetrate the barrel more easily, lowering the proof.

The hotter and drier the ageing environment is, the higher the proof tends to be. Barrels from this warehouse are around 130 proof which marks it at about 65% ABV thanks to the concrete flooring of the warehouse which cools it down. This particular warehouse was originally designed as a fallout shelter during the Cold War at Buffalo Trace Distillery - tasty…

Warehouse K

These barrels are aged a little less than Warehouse U, maturing for eight years, five months, and four days. (It is at this point I sincerely hope that the counting is done by a calendar or a computer rather than a person, because that would be a demanding job).

These barrels also have a higher proof at 135, placing it around 68% ABV - so you can imagine how memorable each dram is… This increased proof is because of the warehouse’s layout; as it has wooden flooring and heating throughout, the water evaporates quicker, leaving the alcohol content higher, without needing to leave it to age for extended periods. As the barrels are only three ricks high, the temperature and air flow are more evenly distributed, creating a more consistent product (or so says Buffalo Trace Distillery’s Master Blender - Harlen Wheatley).

PSA — what the hell is a rickhouse?

For anyone wondering what the difference between a rickhouse and a warehouse is, in a rickhouse the barrels are laid horizontally whilst they age and it is considered more traditional. In a warehouse, barrels are stacked and aged upright - this is becoming a more popular method, and is considered more modern. In both, the barrels tend to be stacked three or four ricks high. And if you’re thinking of Rick Astley, alas, he has nothing to do with bourbon production - or at least not in this case. These ricks simply refer to the levels that the barrels are stacked on. Think of them like shelves. One shelf of barrels = one rick. Three levels = three ricks. That’s my kind of maths.

Warehouse D

Similar to Warehouse U, these barrels are aged for eight years, 10 months, and 29 days clocking in at a more entry-level proof of 126. This warehouse however ages their barrels vertically (like the modern warehouses rather than traditional rickhouses), which produces a unique, smooth finish. Again, these barrels are only stacked three ricks high, helping keep the finish even across each barrel.