The American whiskey business is saturated with terminology that carries no formal or authorized definition. When this language is used loosely, its which means typically shifts from one producer or drinker to the subsequent, creating confusion when phrases are utilized with out consistency or readability. One such time period is “quick barrel.”
The Shortbarrel model entered the market in early 2021, based by Adam Dorfman, Clinton Dugan, and Patrick Lemmond. The corporate makes use of “quick barrel” to explain a whiskey barrel that has misplaced greater than half of its authentic liquid quantity to evaporation. Whereas all barrels expertise loss from the angel’s share, a discount exceeding 50 p.c is unusual and usually displays a convergence of maximum circumstances slightly than age alone.
These circumstances can embrace prolonged maturation, placement on higher warehouse flooring or in areas uncovered to frequent warmth cycles, excessive airflow environments, and aggressive barrel development equivalent to looser grain, heavy toast, or excessive char. Seasonal temperature swings that favor evaporation additional speed up the method. When these components align, liquid quantity drops sharply whereas dissolved wooden compounds intensify.
That focus generally is a double-edged sword. Quick barrels can rapidly tip into over-oaked territory, turning into dry, bitter, or dominated by a single woody observe. On uncommon events, nevertheless, the result’s one thing distinctive, a whiskey of outstanding depth and depth that feels each indulgent and distinctive.
Shortbarrel doesn’t declare to bottle solely barrels that meet its strict evaporation threshold. As an alternative, the model goals to seize the identical decadent character related to these uncommon successes that consequence from true quick barrels.
Additionally it is value noting that the business lacks any shared benchmark for a way a lot quantity loss qualifies a barrel as “quick.” Moreover, the time period shouldn’t be all the time utilized to high-loss barrels. Whereas visiting the growing older room of a small distillery in Louisville. I requested the proprietor whether or not he had any quick barrels, utilizing the identical definition employed by Shortbarrel. He instantly mentioned sure and led me to a cluster of roughly 15 barrels. Every was bodily smaller than an ordinary 53-gallon barrel and noticeably shorter in peak. The thought of quantity loss attributable to evaporation had not factored into his understanding of the time period in any respect.
That second underscored how inconsistently “quick barrel” is used throughout American whiskey, even amongst business professionals.
In January 2025, the Atlanta-based model launched Shortbarrel 4 Grain Straight Bourbon and supplied Drinkhacker with a pattern for assessment. The query now could be whether or not this launch delivers the type of impression and distinction one would possibly affiliate with a standout quick barrel bourbon, or whether or not it blends quietly into an already crowded shelf.
Shortbarrel 4 Grain Straight Bourbon Evaluate
The January 2025 4 Grain launch shouldn’t be distilled from a single mash containing 4 grains. As an alternative, it’s a mix of two totally matured bourbons: a conventional rye bourbon distilled by Inexperienced River and a wheated bourbon distilled by Wilderness Path. Each elements have been aged between 4-5 years in a mixture of barrels with open-air seasoned staves from Kelvin Cooperage and Impartial Stave Co., using #3 and #4 char ranges.
The Inexperienced River portion is distilled from Owensboro’s flagship mashbill of 70% corn, 21% winter rye, and 9% malted barley. The Danville element makes use of a mashbill of 64% corn, 24percentwheat, and 12% malted barley. Based mostly on the ultimate mix proportions, the Wilderness Path bourbon accounts for roughly 80% of the completed whiskey.
When mixed, the 2 types yield a derived mashbill of roughly 65percentcorn, 20percentwheat, 12% malted barley, and three% rye. Whereas not distilled as a real four-grain mash, the ultimate composition displays contributions from all 4 grains by means of mixing slightly than co-fermentation.
Preliminary maturation came about in conventional Kentucky rickhouses. The barrels have been later transported to Atlanta, the place they have been palletized and stacked 4-5 rows in an unregulated setting. With no temperature management, the barrels have been left uncovered to Georgia’s pure warmth and humidity, circumstances meant to additional affect extraction and maturation through the remaining section of growing older.
The nostril opens with baked peaches that lean extra earthy than candy, joined by the scent of unglazed yeast donuts. The pairing suggests peach cobbler in concept, but it lacks the sweetness and spice to completely ship. Because the bourbon sits, notes of unsweetened raisins and Nesquik powder come ahead. General, the aroma affords restricted spice or sweetness and tendencies considerably bland.
On the palate, sliced Golden Scrumptious apples lead, accompanied by a modest trace of clove. The mid-palate shifts to blackberries which can be much less candy and fewer plump, highlighting the firmer, extra tannic aspect of untamed fruit slightly than the juicy berries discovered on the grocery retailer. Rye bread develops late within the mid-palate and carries right into a mouthfeel akin to chewing dry rye bread. The grain observe feels tactile. As with the nostril, the opening palate reveals little sweetness.
The end brings barely extra curiosity. A small observe of mint and chocolate joins the returning rye bread, although the grain presence is much less chewy than it was earlier. Even so, the added parts don’t totally enhance the expertise.
General, Shortbarrel 4 Grain shouldn’t be a private favourite. I’ve loved a lot of Shortbarrel’s releases over the previous few years, however this one falls quick. The model goals to bottle whiskey that stands out and pays homage to the profile typically related to quick barrels. On this case, nevertheless, the consequence doesn’t stand out in the best way I had hoped and feels out of step with what I’ve come to count on from Shortbarrel.
92 proof.
B- / $40
Shortbarrel 4 Grain Bourbon
USD40
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