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Barker’s Mill Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon is from the M.B. Roland Distillery, located in Pembroke, Kentucky. It was founded by Paul and Merry Beth (the M B of M B Roland) Tomaszewski as a grain to glass distillery. I have met the Tomaszewskis once or twice, but I have not visited the distillery – yet. It is high on my list of things to do this summer. I have always liked the products I have tasted from their distillery, so when I saw this bottled-in-bond Bourbon from them on the shelves at Westport Whiskey & Wine, I purchased it. The Bourbon is made with white corn and red winter wheat. It is an excellent five year old bonded Bourbon. Matt and I both liked this Bourbon and at the top of Matt’s tasting sheet, he wrote “GREAT WHISKEY”. That does seem to sum up our feelings about this whiskey. I considered holding back the tasting notes and use this as our July “Whiskey of the Month” and may still pick it for July as it is that good. 

Barker’s Mill Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon

Proof: 100

Age: Five Years Old – Made: Fall 2016, Bottled: Fall 2021

Nose:

• Mike: Caramel and lots of fruit – plums, raisins and a little ripe apple, floral notes of lilacs with some baking spices and sweet oak wood.
• Matt: Rich caramel, plums, lilacs and apple pie baking spices. As it opens up the apple pie notes get stronger. 

Taste: 

• Mike: Caramel apple with raisins, nutmeg, allspice and sweet oak wood. Tasted with a dried cranberry and the apple becomes a tart green apple. Tasted with a pecan and the caramel becomes a rich butter caramel with a little ginger spice mixed in with the other Baking spices.
• Matt: Rich caramel, ripe apple, nutmeg and sweet oak wood. The dried cranberry made the apple a tart apple with cinnamon spice, nutmeg and oak. The pecan made the caramel a creamy, rich butter caramel with ginger and nutmeg spices.

Finish:

• Mike: Medium long with oak wood, baking spices and lingering notes of ripe apples. The dried cranberry made the lingering apple a tart green apple. The pecan added a note of chocolate and ginger to the finish.
• Matt: Long with oak wood, ginger and red pepper spice. The dried cranberry enhanced the red pepper spice in the finish. The pecan added a note of ginger spice to the finish.

I would pair this Bourbon with a cigar that is rich with vanilla with maybe a note of earthy tobacco and cedar spice. I think I would reach for a Padron Maduro cigar – any Padron Maduro cigar would work well with this whiskey.