Benjamin Prichard's Double Barreled Bourbon 750ML

Benjamin Prichard's Double Barreled Bourbon 750ML is a 9-year-old Tennessee bourbon bottled at 45% ABV (90 proof) and defined by a rare double-barreling maturation process. This expression earned 95 points from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge — a score that tied Pappy Van Winkle's 23 Year Old Bourbon — and 94 points from Jim Murray's Whiskey Bible, establishing it as one of the most critically acclaimed bourbons produced in Tennessee.

Quick Facts: ABV: 45% (90 Proof)  |  Origin: Kelso, Tennessee, USA  |  9-Year Age Statement  |  Distillery: Prichard's Distillery

Production & Heritage

Prichard's Distillery operates out of Kelso, Tennessee, with a second location in Nashville opened in 2014. The distillery built its reputation on small-batch methods and an unusual mashbill of white corn, rye, and wheat — a tri-grain recipe that introduces both spice and softness at the foundation level. What makes the Double Barreled expression singular in the category is its namesake process: after aging for nine years in new charred oak barrels, the bourbon is cut from its original 120 proof down to approximately 95 proof, then transferred into a second set of new charred oak barrels for additional maturation. According to the distillery, no other producer utilizes this exact technique, resulting in amplified oak character and layered sweetness without the harshness that extended single-barrel aging can introduce.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Citrus and vanilla emerge immediately, followed by a warm wave of butterscotch and salted caramel. Deeper exploration reveals baking spice and a faint bubblegum sweetness that hints at the white corn mashbill's influence.

Taste: The entry is lush and sweet, with rich caramel coating the palate before giving way to a mid-palate shift toward spicy oak, black pepper, clove, and cinnamon. Despite the assertive spice, the texture remains remarkably smooth, with notes of spiced vanilla tea and freshly baked rye bread balancing sweetness against a hearty grain backbone. The second barrel's influence is unmistakable — oak and firewood warmth sit underneath without ever tipping into smokiness.

Finish: Long, warm, and satisfyingly creamy, with toffee and dried fruit lingering alongside gentle baking spice. The oak presence carries through cleanly, fading gradually rather than dropping off.

How to Drink Double Barreled Bourbon

Neat is the primary recommendation — the double-barreling process creates enough complexity to reward slow sipping at full proof, and a few drops of water can open up the caramel and vanilla layers further. For cocktails, the amplified oak and spice character gives this bourbon notable backbone. An Old Fashioned benefits from the toffee-forward sweetness that reduces the need for added sugar. A Boulevardier pairs the bourbon's cinnamon-clove spice against Campari's bitterness for a robust cold-weather drink. A Whiskey Sour highlights the citrus aromatics already present in the spirit, creating a cohesive rather than competing interplay.

Best For

• Gifting a bourbon collector who values unique production techniques
• Side-by-side tasting sessions comparing single-barrel versus double-barreled maturation
• After-dinner sipping alongside dessert courses
• Expanding a home bar beyond mainstream Kentucky bourbon offerings

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Double Barreled Bourbon taste like? It leads with rich caramel and vanilla sweetness that transitions into assertive oak spice, black pepper, clove, and cinnamon, all wrapped in a creamy, smooth texture. The double-barreling adds layers of toffee and dried fruit without harsh tannins.

How does Double Barreled Bourbon compare to Woodford Reserve Double Oaked? Both expressions use a second new charred oak barrel to amplify oak and vanilla character, but Prichard's starts with a tri-grain mashbill of white corn, rye, and wheat and ages for nine years — significantly longer than Woodford Reserve Double Oaked's undisclosed age. The result is a drier, more spice-forward profile compared to Woodford's sweeter, more chocolate-driven palate.

Is Double Barreled Bourbon good for sipping neat? At 90 proof, it sits in an ideal range for neat sipping — strong enough to carry its oak and spice complexity, but smooth enough that alcohol heat never overwhelms the caramel and vanilla core.

Where is Double Barreled Bourbon made? It is produced at Prichard's Distillery in Kelso, Tennessee, a small town in Lincoln County. The distillery also operates a second facility in Nashville, Tennessee, opened in 2014.

What foods pair well with Double Barreled Bourbon? Smoked brisket complements the oak and pepper notes; dark chocolate truffles mirror the toffee sweetness; pecan pie echoes the caramel and vanilla aromatics; aged cheddar provides a savory counterpoint to the bourbon's sweetness; and crème brûlée aligns with the butterscotch character on the nose.

What sizes does Double Barreled Bourbon come in? The standard offering is a 750ml bottle.

Is Double Barreled Bourbon worth the price? With a nine-year age statement, a proprietary double-barreling process, and multiple scores above 94 points from respected critics, this bourbon positions itself in the premium tier and delivers complexity that competes with expressions priced well above it.

Why Double Barreled Bourbon?

The double-barreling technique used here is not merely a marketing distinction — cutting the bourbon to near bottle proof before a second maturation in new charred oak fundamentally changes the interaction between spirit and wood, extracting additional caramel and vanilla compounds while maintaining balance. A 95-point score from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, tying Pappy Van Winkle's 23 Year Old, is the kind of critical recognition that speaks for itself. The tri-grain mashbill of white corn, rye, and wheat adds another dimension rarely seen in Tennessee bourbon, producing a flavor profile that sits apart from the corn-heavy sweetness of most competitors. For drinkers seeking a bourbon with genuine production innovation backed by third-party acclaim, this is one of the strongest cases in the category.