Barrell has long produced an excellent line of unique, blended whiskies and bourbons. As one of their least expensive whiskies, Dovetail delivers the quality you should expect. The nose is initially a light rum note, followed by traditional whiskey notes. Sourced from multiple distilleries, this is a potent whiskey. There is light sugared almond, a hint of butterscotch, lemon zest, resin, delicate cinnamon, browned butter and baked bread. There is definitely heat to this, perhaps unnecessarily so because it slightly taints the otherwise very good whiskey, therefore it needs to be cut. Though subtle, the finish reflects the various barrels used to finish it: rum, Port and Cabernet Sauvignon barrels (the high-end Dunn in Napa) – however you can’t really identify the specific barrel used, which is also part of the point. Barrell has always been interested in the finished whiskey, not the specifics of how they got there – the sum of the parts is what Barrell does best, marrying, or allowing various blends and barrels to “dovetail” into a fine blended whiskey. Ultimately the excessive ABV is a drawback, but nonetheless this is a fine high proof blended whiskey.
Reviewed by Michael Cervin
Brand – Barrell Craft Spirits
Spirit Type – Whiskey
Other Designation – Finished in Rum, Port & Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Barrels
Country of Origin – USA
ABV – 61.72%
Bottle Size – 750ml
Price – $90
Score – 92
Date Reviewed – 3/30/2025