Gr8teful Beast
Nashville Barrel Co Limited Edition Rare Casks
Beast Masters Club Private Pick
10 Year High Rye MGP Bourbon
“Kelvin Barrel”
NCF, Cask Strength 120.6 proof
Total Yield: 156 bottles

When Mike Hinds, co-founder of Nashville Barrel Company, came to visit Beast Masters Club this spring, we knew right away that we’d be fast friends. Obviously we’re fans of whiskey done right, and Nashville has this one figured out. We did a killer 8-year rye with Nashville six years ago, and because of typical industry SNAFU’s, we haven’t been able to get a second barrel until now. But man was it worth the wait! More on that in a sec.

The other thing we bonded with Mike on was our shared long history as deadheads. Having followed the band in the early 90’s and gotten to see Jerry many times before he passed on, this has always been the Beast Masters favorite band. So when Mike sent us this suggestion for the “Gr8teful Beast” label, we were like FIRE (on the mountain?) we were ready to DRIVE THAT TRAIN. Sorry, you get the point. The Steely, the tie-dye, you could just smell the patchouli in all it’s parking lot shakedown street glory. What a beautiful addition to any bourbon collection!

Ok, anyway, on to the whiskey. Kelvin Cooperage is the pinnacle of quality in barrel-making. With a family-owned lineage going back from Scotland to Kentucky, and an insistence on traditional methods, they have always been known as the best tasting MGP barrels. You may have tasted MGP barrels that on paper seem the same - same age, mash bill, aging location - and thought, whey do some of them taste so different? Well the source of the barrels is usually the hidden explanation. Kelvin barrels use natural wood charring instead of gas and this gives a richer, more flavorful, darker result. In other words - what we want!

We tasted three different Kelvin barrels and this one stood out. Most of them are MGP high-corn mashbill (75% corn / 21% rye / 4% malted barley). This one is their high-rye mash bill (60/36/4). That means it’s spicier, punchier, with all that wonderful root beer, vanilla, mint, and richness that we love. Combine that with the awesome oak from the Kelvin barrel, and this was an obvious winner.

The color is dark and lovely. Counting stars by candlelight under the midnight moonlight (ok we’ll stop with the Dead refs!). The nose is huge, root beer, vanilla, rich chile pepper, oak for miles, that rare Dr. Pepper note that signals a truly dope barrel. The palate is equally serious - it’s a high proof bourbon with flavor to match. Oily on the tongue, rich and sweet and spicy. And the finish is long, balancing smoothness and richness for a memorable lasting impression.

Don’t miss this one. You might want one to drink and one for shelf posterity!

Keep on trucking through that long strange trip! /The Beasts