92
Score
Barrell Private Release Hermann J. Wiemer Noble Select Josef Vineyard Riesling Barrel-Finished Kentucky Whiskey (Blend No. CH37), 57.11%
Price: $110 ● Issue: Winter 2020 ● Reviewer: Susannah Skiver Barton
A curious character of tart fruit pervades this whiskey with an unusual finishing cask, starting with underripe blackberries on the nose; there's also citrus, vanilla, jasmine, orange blossom, almonds in the shell, and a scattering of dried herbs. Tart and citric on the palate—lemon juice, underripe berries, Granny Smith apples, red plums—yet a dark richness of coffee bean, bitter chocolate, and oak offer a pleasing juxtaposition. The lengthy finish retains the interplay of tart fruit and richness until the final exhale.