This “amped-up” version of John K. Hall’s signature Barrel Select is not so much better as it is bigger and bolder. Cloves, ginger, and cinnamon burst over creamy rich butterscotch and searing red pepper, restrained only by dry rye grain and bitter orange. The initial fireworks complete, figgy dark fruit and nutty milk chocolate swirl capriciously over fragrant spring flowers, soft vanilla, and delicate herbal maple syrup. Dramatic and delightful.

Reviewed by: Davin de Kergommeaux (Summer 2013)