I happened to find that 1792 Small Batch was one of my favorite bourbons last year, and the next progression of this was to try their single barrel. While with some brands, you won’t be able to find anything beyond the basic offering at opening (Weller Special Reserve, Buffalo Trace, etc), other brands are thankfully quite findable well after opening and sometimes for days afterward. Barton’s 1792 Single Barrel falls into this category (at least outside of Ohio) and is frequently a store pick. Our particular bottle is actually a non-store pick, so is it worth your time to pick one up if you see one?
1792 Single Barrel
Sight: Chestnut Oloroso Sherry
Smell: Caramel, butterscotch, and powder sugar combine with cooked cherries. Hints of heat and orange marmalade interject with a bit of dark chocolate. Spices and oak run through the background, but the heat seems pervasive.
Sip: Slight fruit leads off (almost raspberry like), a little bit of caramel starts to creep in, and the mouthfeel is thin comparatively. There’s a bit of heat that kicks up before oak and spice notes jump in. The evolution leads more into the oak and spice side of things toward the back of the palate.
Savor: The finish pulls in more charred oak with a hint of clove and spice. The finish lingers with a slightly tannic nature.
1792 Single Barrel is much more barrel orientated than it’s Small Batch cousin, and brings complex flavors of oak and spice. The mouthfeel belies it though, giving a thin character as it dances across the palate. The oak comes on heavy throughout, and lingers on the ending with considerable strength. While there’s a bit to unpack here, complexity isn’t it’s strong suit.
1792 Single Barrel Compared with 1792 Small Batch
While the nose is indeed fuller, the ethanol is equally punchy to the increase in aroma. This makes it a touch sniff comparatively, where the small batch almost more willing reveals it’s secrets and depth. 1792 Small Batch is a bit more balanced toward fruit and away from oak in the palate as well. A slightly sweet nature of the fresh fruit notes is a bit contrast with the heavy caramel and oak of the single barrel.
In Cocktails
In a Manhattan, 1792 Single Barrel delivers more of the same. The initial punch is actually nicely balanced caramel and red fruit (most likely helped by the vermouth), but moving into charred barrel territory with lots of spice. The ending maintains a similar tannic note with more spice. Overall, it makes a very serviceable Manhattan.
In Review – 1792 Single Barrel
1792 Single Barrel is a nice, solid bourbon. Where it struggles is that it doesn’t quite bring anything revolutionary to the party, and in some ways, doesn’t live up to it’s little brother Small Batch. The result is a bottle that’s not only harder to find, but also more expensive. The hype generated by Full Proof likely has a good deal to do with explaining this. With that said, we can’t recommend you add 1792 Single Barrel to your collection, but it’s worth a try if you find that you like other Barton products.