Release XIII - "Heat" – Blind Barrels

"Heat"

The March 2025 Release

Sample A

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High Proof American Rice Whiskey - J.T. Meleck Distillers

$59.99 Member Price

$74.99 Regular Price

Distillery: J.T. Meleck Distillers - Branch, LA
Proof: 118 (59% ABV)
Age Statement: 4+ years old
Mashbill: 100% Louisiana Rice
Color/Appearance: Burnt Amber

Fun Fact: That’s right, this whiskey is made using a mashbill of 100% Louisiana Rice, the first time we’ve ever featured a whiskey that uses any of that grain!

Aroma

Spicy yet creamy at the same time, with notes of rich nougat, marzipan, nutmeg, toffee, butterscotch, ripe peaches dusted with cinnamon
Taste

Phenomenal texture on the palate, with layered complex flavors of fresh baked peach pie straight from the oven, apricot, caramel butter, and toasted oak
Finish

Some floral notes come to the surface, with a nice astringent oak element balancing out the stone fruit notes

Distillery Story

J.T. Meleck Distillers represents the perfect embodiment of innovation in American craft whiskey, creating the first-ever 100% rice whiskey featured in Blind Barrels. The Frugé family has deep roots in Louisiana agriculture, cultivating rice and crawfish for five generations on their 4,000-acre farm. Named after Uncle John Meleck who first grew rice on the original 20-acre plot, this distillery embraces authentic Southern tradition while pioneering new whiskey frontiers. Their High Proof American Rice Whiskey showcases the exceptional creamy texture and complex stone fruit notes possible from this overlooked grain, which has been used in whiskey production in countries like Japan and India but rarely in America until J.T. Meleck's groundbreaking efforts. As founder Mike Frugé says, "We're obsessively authentic, we do what we like and we do what we know about," resulting in a truly unique Louisiana classic that perfectly balances innovation, history, family tradition, and passion.

Sample B

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Holladay Soft Red Wheat Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey - Rickhouse Proof - Holladay Distillery

$71.99 Member Price

$84.99 Regular Price

Distillery: Holladay Distillery - Weston, MO
Proof: 122.2 (61.1% ABV)
Age Statement: 6 years 4 months old
Mashbill: 73% Missouri Corn, 15% Soft Red Winter Wheat, 12% Malted Barley
Color/Appearance: Reddish Gold

Fun Fact: Holladay Distillery is taking the American Whiskey scene by storm, and is a resurrected brand that was originally founded in 1856, making it the oldest distillery west of the Mississippi that is still operating on its original site!

Aroma

A nose that is subtle and inviting, with notes of soft cherries, crushed raspberries, orange studded with cloves, red apples, milk chocolate covered almonds, and mild thyme
Taste

A pop of flavors from the start, with vibrant notes of fresh plum, Red Vines™, warm raspberry scones, apricot, rich honey, rounding out with Cracker Jack™ and toffee sweetness, with a nice black pepper tingle on the back of the palate
Finish

A long and balanced finish, with lingering notes of Pink Starburst™ and good oak tannins, leaving you with the impression that you just finished some delicious breakfast treats from your local bakery

Distillery Story

Holladay Distillery stands as a remarkable blend of rich history and modern craft, being the oldest distillery west of the Mississippi still operating on its original site since 1856. Founded by the "Stagecoach King" Ben Holladay, who once owned the Pony Express and was America's largest private employer, the distillery supplied whiskey to Wild West saloons before ceasing production in 1985. Since its 2015 revival, Holladay has meticulously honored its heritage while creating exceptional whiskey, using original mashbill recipes, barrel entry proofs, and distillation techniques gleaned from historical records. This Soft Red Wheat Bourbon represents Master Distiller Kyle Merklein's "study in grain," swapping rye for wheat to create a softer, sweeter profile while still qualifying as a Real Missouri Bourbon under the 2019 law they helped establish—requiring Missouri-grown corn, in-state production, and Missouri oak barrels. With their commitment to authenticity, transparency, and patient aging (releasing no bourbon under 6 years old), Holladay has quickly established itself as one of the most requested distilleries among Blind Barrels members.

Sample C

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Column Still Collection Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey - Rock Town Distillery

$64.99 Member Price

$74.99 Regular Price

Distillery: Rock Town Distillery - Little Rock, AR
Proof: 116.8 (58.4% ABV)
Age Statement: 45 months in 25 gallon #4 char Kelvin Cooperage casks
Mashbill: 79% Arkansas Corn, 8% Arkansas Wheat, 13% Malted Barley
Color/Appearance: Dark Golden Amber

Fun Fact: Rock Town has the honor of being the first distillery to be included TWICE in our line-ups, with this collaboration with the distilling team at Bardstown Bourbon Company being a very fitting follow-up to the Golden Promise Cask Strength Bourbon from June 2023!

Aroma

Rich layers of caramel are first present, backed up by notes of toasted walnuts, smoky vanilla extract, orange blossom, coffee cake, cornbread soaked in honey, with fresh herbs popping by to say hello
Taste

Incredible Black Forest cake, with an excellent wood presence balanced out by black pepper spice, crème brulée crust, clove, and caramel pudding
Finish

The oak tannins and crème brulée remain, with hints of warm honey and cinnamon toast

Distillery Story

Rock Town Distillery, the first distillery to appear twice in Blind Barrels lineups, represents the pioneering spirit of the American craft whiskey movement. Founded in 2009 by Phil Brandon as Arkansas' first post-Prohibition distillery, Rock Town was born from a commitment to authentic local production—even the name "Rocktown" honors their home city of Little Rock. This Column Still Collection Bourbon showcases their innovative approach to scaling production while maintaining quality, utilizing Bardstown Bourbon Company's collaborative distilling program to run Arkansas grain through BBC's higher-capacity column stills before trucking the spirit back to Little Rock for aging. Despite the different distillation method, the whiskey maintains Rock Town's distinctive flavor profile, with Phil noting, "That's probably the highest compliment I could get, to have something that's recognizable from mash bill to mash bill, from production method to production method." This uncut, unfiltered bourbon exemplifies their motto, "Our Passion is Our Spirit," and their unwavering commitment to representing Arkansas terroir in every bottle.

Sample D

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13th Century Whiskey Company - Toasted Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey

$124.99 Member Price

$149.99 Regular Price

Producer: 13th Century Whiskey Company - Colorado Springs, CO
Proof: 140.5 (70.25% ABV)
Age Statement: 6 years old (5 years in 30 gallon Char 2, 3, 4, and 5 casks; 1 year finishing in 53 gallon heavily toasted Char 1 cask)
Mashbill: 88% Corn, 7% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
Color/Appearance: Deep Copper

Fun Fact: This hazmat proof whiskey is aged at the base of Pikes Peak in a blend of toasted and charred casks, including Char levels 1, 2, 3, 4, AND the rare 5.

Aroma

This dram opens with wine-soaked oak staves, roasted cinnamon almonds, warm pecan pie with vanilla ice cream, and toasted herbs - a very approachable and nuanced nose (especially considering the proof!)
Taste

Excellent wood presence, with notes of rich mahogany, cigar box, leather, walnut skins, sarsaparilla, candied ginger, and S'Mores with strawberry marshmallows(!), this whiskey is spicy and warming
Finish

The story of the wood continues here, with nice drying tannins, dark roast coffee beans, and buckwheat honey - reminiscent of the finish on a cask strength cognac

Distillery Story

13th Century Whiskey Company, founded by Paul Dunning at the base of Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, creates meticulously crafted whiskeys that founder Seabass aptly describes as "a study in wood." Each element of their process is intentionally designed to maximize flavor, from their choice of high corn mashbills to their strategic use of 30-gallon casks for aging (to extract more wood sugars) and 53-gallon heavily toasted casks for finishing. This first Toasted Barrel release showcases their experimental approach, incorporating barrels with various char levels (1, 2, 3, 4, and the rare 5), each contributing different flavor profiles to the final blend. Named after the century when fractional distillation revolutionized spirits production, the company combines high-quality sourced MGP distillate with Colorado's ideal aging environment—high elevation, dry air, and dramatic temperature swings that create intense wood extraction (sometimes leaving as little as 10 gallons in each cask). True to Dunning's philosophy, "I can't stand it when brands get confused on who they are," all 13th Century releases are barrel proof and non-chill filtered, with this hazmat-proof bourbon (70.25% ABV) exemplifying their commitment to flavor over efficiency.

Country/region

"Heat"

Sample A

High Proof American Rice Whiskey - J.T. Meleck Distillers

Distillery Story

Sample B

Holladay Soft Red Wheat Missouri Straight Bourbon Whiskey - Rickhouse Proof - Holladay Distillery

Distillery Story

Sample C

Column Still Collection Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey - Rock Town Distillery

Distillery Story

Sample D

13th Century Whiskey Company - Toasted Barrel Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Distillery Story