Review | Never Say Die Barrel Strength Bourbon

This barrel strength bourbon is the ninth release of this bottling from the American English brand Never Say Die. The whiskey is distilled in Kentucky in the USA for a period, before being shipped in its barrel to the United Kingdom where it undergoes a secondary maturation. This bourbon utilises the same mash bill as the core Never Say Die Bourbon, yet bottled at barrel-proof.

The whiskey is distilled at an unnamed Kentucky distillery rumoured to have a ‘keen focus on yeast’. The whiskey is made using 100% sweet mash with a high rye content – this consists of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley. The barrels used are a low char level (number 4) and all spirit is casked at 110 Proof (55% ABV). This is lower than most other bourbons. NSD believe this all makes for a better product, despite being a more expensive way to make whiskey.

Further expense is incurred as they ship their bourbon in the barrel. Most people would send the liquid in bulk. As it travels via the sea the whiskey is moved around inside the barrel at an increased rate and this adds an extra dimension of taste and character.

The Never Say Die brand was named after a legendary horse. He was born in poor health but battled to become a successful race horse. The story goes that he was given a shot of whiskey to cure him and survived. Never Say Die was an American-bred thoroughbred that was then trained in the UK. He won only one of his first nine races, but then triumphed in The Derby at Epsom in 1954. He was the first American colt to win the race for over 70 years. He later added a second Brit classic later that year – the St. Leger Stakes. 

Each Barrel Strength release is bottled as a single barrel and each bottle is individually numbered. We are tasting Barrel #987 which has been bottled at 61.5% ABV (123 Proof). Never Say Die Barrel Strength is available through specialist whisky and online retailers in the UK. A bottle will cost around £80.

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Our Tasting Notes

Never Say Die Barrel Strength Bourbon is a deep mahogany colour that is bold and powerful on the nose. There is a rich sweetness of bitter chocolate, syrupy glacé cherries, and chewy caramel. Marzipan and dried coconut give some earthiness alongside a bold toasted oak character. Dried orange zest brings some vibrancy. Finally a gentle hint of herbal notes in the background brings a savoury touch.

On the palate this bourbon has a bold and drying oak mouthfeel which hits upfront. This dissipates and opens up to bring lusciousness – bags of sweet cherries, fresh orange zest, ripe apricot and fresh coconut. Lots of vanilla and maple syrup follow. Milky mocha and cocoa powder are bittersweet. The finish introduces cinnamon and nutmeg baking spices as well as dashes of freshly ground pepper. Overall the drying oak is ever present and brings a mouth-watering character.

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What’s The Verdict?

The unique maturation process of Never Say Die undeniably has an impact on their whiskeys. The character of this particular release of barrel strength bourbon is bold and powerful, dominated by the toasted oak. There are so many quality bourbon queues to experience in this bottle but the higher alcohol strength acts to accentuate the oak. This really is a sipping bourbon but it would hold up so well in a classic bourbon cocktail, such as a Manhattan or Old Fashioned, and bring real depth.