Barrell Armida Bourbon Whiskey
Maker Notes
Armida is a blend of three Straight Bourbon Whiskeys finished separately in pear brandy, Jamaican rum, and Sicilian amaro casks. Each release is blended to taste and bottled at true cask strength, resulting in subtle proof variations between blends. Elegant, lush, and multidimensional, Armida offers pleasures as rare as a perfect piece of tree-ripened fruit.
Pears are all about timing. Ripeness can’t be rushed. And once it’s arrived, it can’t be postponed, either. How do you know? By paying close attention, using your senses to tell when the flavor and texture are just right, and then trusting your instincts to catch the perfect moment.
In that sense, ripening pears is a lot like making whiskey. Inspired by the care and attention of great orchardists, we created Armida as a celebration of fall flavors. It’s a blend of three straight bourbon whiskeys finished separately in pear brandy, Jamaican rum, and Sicilian amaro casks. The ripe floral notes of the pear brandy usher in a palate rich with tropical sweetness and studded with dried citrus and spice. We release it once a year, right when the first pears appear in markets — and just like ephemeral autumn fruits, it’s only available for a limited time.
While constructing the blend for this whiskey, Joe was taken by how nostalgic some of the combinations of flavors were. Joe’s mother’s family had a farm in the northeast where he would often spend time in the summer and autumn. These brisk, orchard fruit memories inspired many of the first test blends and so, Joe named the project after his mother’s formal name, Armida.
FLAVOR NOTES
Appearance: Bright gold with a pale rim.
Nose: Opens with creamy and sweet notes of carrot cake, dulce de leche, and chestnut honey. The pear brandy’s influence inflects the core aroma, with poached pear leading blackberry and dried lime peel. Shimmering at the edges are countless herbs and dusty spices. Notes familiar to Sicilian amari, such as fennel seed, aniseed, nutmeg, and cacao are there. As Sicily was once part of the Duchy of Savoy licorice, wormwood and chamomile are encountered here, in Savoy’s tradition of genepy and absinthe.
Palate: Lush sweetness is kept in check by some sandy tannin and high strength. Here, the rum takes center stage, with blackstrap molasses, sambuca, and olive brine arriving first. The rich dark character builds with date and chipotle leading into pipe tobacco and walnut. The amaro is never far behind, exhibiting licorice root, gentian, green cardamom and kola nut.
Finish: Green almond enriches an otherwise dry finish of black tea and slate.
AWARDS
Best Unique Barrel-Finished Bourbon at the L.A. Spirits Awards -2022
Platinum at the L.A. Spirits Awards -2022
Wine Enthusiast Rating of 95
94 POINTS at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge - 2021
Gold at the John Barleycorn Awards - 2021
Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition - 2021
