The Basics:

Limited Edition - Spirit Hound Distillery Single Malt Barrel

Medium Roast

Brewing Method: Chemex with 50g of medium ground coffee to 700g of water

$65 MSRP

Nose:

Molasses, toasted coconut, oak, leather, malted milk ball, and dark roast chestnuts.

Palate: 

Charred marshmallows, roasted hazelnuts, cardamom, burnt caramel, and cocoa powder.

Finish:

Long finish with bitter oak, leather, and dark molasses.

Final Thoughts:

For this limited edition release, Whiskey Barrel Coffee partnered with Spirit Hound Distillery to age their coffee beans in former Straight Malt Whiskey barrels. The end result is a dark, rich, and complex coffee supported by a strong whiskey backbone. Before even getting into the flavor, the coffee comes in a beautiful whiskey bottle that is dipped in shining gold wax before receiving hand labeling. The presentation screams whiskey, and spoiler alert, the final product delivers on those flavors. Upon nosing the coffee, I was immediately hit with very dark molasses and roasted chestnuts aromas, followed up by burnt caramel and charred marshmallows on the palate. The finish continues with similar whiskey and molasses notes, along with a bitterness coming from the dark roasted beans. Overall, this coffee has an intense whiskey forward flavor profile that is great for these final days of winter. While this wouldn’t be the coffee I reach for first thing in the morning, it certainly makes for a delicious mid-day pick-me-up that gets you excited to pour a glass of whiskey that night.