By now, you’ve probably heard the acronym “NDP,” which stands for “non-distilling producer,” i.e., a company that blends and/or barrels and/or bottles spirits that they did not distill themselves. In the last several years, there’s been a proliferation of NDPs, a few of which we have featured in this club. This quarter, I’m thrilled to share a single barrel from another NDP putting out great whiskey, Nashville Barrel Company. They have quickly garnered attention in the whiskey world, racking up four Double Gold medals and Best in Class at the prestigious San Francisco Spirits Competition, among other awards. Some months back, I had the opportunity to select a barrel from them, and I’m pleased to share it with you now.
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Nashville Barrel Company Single Barrel 6 Year Bourbon |
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Location: Nashville, TN (distilled in Indiana) |
Nashville Barrel Company (NBC) was founded in 2018 by a small group of whiskey-loving friends. They saw the way the Bourbon market was headed—more expensive and more allocated—and didn’t want to lose the opportunity to source and select exceptional single barrels. Together they purchased a lot of barrels from MGP Distillery in Indiana and started bottling them out of a Nashville warehouse. Word soon started to get out, and whiskey groups from all over the country began asking to select barrels. By March of 2021, Nashville Barrel Company had opened their own distillery space in Nashville to offer tastings and tours. In addition to private single barrel selections, they bottle their own range of cask strength bourbon, rye, rum and agave spirits. I had the opportunity to meet co-founder James Davenport last year and was impressed by his passion for his work. After 5 years in the Navy, James moved to Nashville and spent the next decade working at one of the city’s most popular bottle shops. His co-founder Mike Hinds is a Tennessee native who has served on the boards of several 501(c)3 organizations, helping raise over 3 million dollars for cancer research. In addition to his non-profit career, Mike has been an active member of the Bourbon community. Today, he oversees operations at Nashville Barrel Company. |
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Price: $96.99 |
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ABV/proof: 55.67%/111.34 |
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Mashbill: 75% corn 21% rye 4% malted barley Tasting Notes: Nose: peanut shells, ground cinnamon, maple candy Palate: baking spices, toasted oak Finish: long and sweet |
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