BARRELL CRAFT SPIRITS
12 YEAR BOURBON FINISHED IN TOASTED AMERICAN OAK &
18 YEAR WHISKEY FINISHED IN CABERNET SAUVIGNON & SAUTERNES BARRELS
USA
WHY BUY:
Every time we come to you with Barrell Craft Spirits, you snatch up the entire inventory in a matter of hours. This limited-edition release is one to lust after — a high-octane (113 proof) 12-year bourbon finished in toasted American oak that ranks among the most mature and refined we've sipped in years, and an 18-year whiskey that was finished in a mix of Cabernet barrels and Sauternes barrels and that clocks in at a walloping 125 proof. The key to Barrell Craft's success is their exhaustive approach to testing and tasting, with founder Joe Beatrice and his team sometimes spending years to get a single expression just right. These two bottles are the glorious fruits of that relentless and obsessive search for perfection.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
Barrell Craft Spirits has collected so many accolades in recent years, including, last year, the no. 12 spot in Fred Minnick's Top 100 Spirits of 2025, for a French-oaked bourbon that we brought you last year. In recent years, it also took home Best Bourbon honors at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition ... twice.
OUR TASTING NOTES:
* Twelve years in slow-toasted American oak has transformed this bourbon into something almost graceful. Vanilla cream and cocoa take the lead, and with confidence, before yielding the floor to a wave of warm spices. The remarkable thing is how seamlessly everything integrates. You're not hunting for individual notes so much as enjoying how they all come together and harmonize. Even at 113 proof, there's no heat, just weight and presence and depth.
* The first sip of that 18-year whiskey is an eye-opener. There’s a dark, brooding character, courtesy of the Cabernet barrel finish, while the Sauternes barrel finish adds its own distinct touch, in the form of a soft, honeyed richness. At 125 proof, it should, by all rights, punch you in the face. But, almost miraculously, it doesn’t. Instead, there's something approaching elegance, as if the whiskey grew into sophistication over those eighteen years. Just when you think it’s done showing itself to you, it introduces more elements, more nuances, as it rolls on and on toward the finish.
THE STORY:
When Joe Beatrice founded Barrell Craft Spirits, in 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky, it was in part to answer a question that had long bedeviled him: what happens when you combine different distillation methods, barrels, and aging environments on cask strength spirits? Inspired by Scotland's independent bottlers and their ability to elevate whisky through expert barrel-aging, the former marketing and technology entrepreneur began sourcing and blending exceptional casks from established producers with whom he and his team cultivated close relationships within the spirits community. The genius lies in the execution. Beatrice and his team are savvy sourcers and brilliant blenders, procuring barrels from Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and beyond, then weaving them into something magical through their extraordinary knowledge, unerring eye for quality, and their exquisite collective palate. When Beatrice launched his company, he did so without a distillery, a bit of daring that might have failed, but didn't. Instead, he created a sensation.
FUN FACT:
According to Vinepair, Beatrice and the Barrell Craft Spirits team source spirits from "more than 65 different suppliers around the world to hone in on the most interesting global flavors,” before bringing them back to their Kentucky distillery for aging and blending.
OUR GUARANTEE:
As always, we only buy and source directly from the producer to ensure pristine provenance. These limited releases won't last long — secure your bottles today!
*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Summer 2026. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. The price reflected on your order form is subject to change after the order is placed in the event of a change in tariffs or taxes that are imposed by the U.S. government, or in the case of currency fluctuations of 10% or greater. Offer not valid in KS, MI, NC, NE, NY, TN, VA, & WA. This offer will expire on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.