"Barrel-aged" gins -- what exactly is that barrel, anyway?

Being a huge fan of barrel-aged gin, I was amused by the idea of documenting exactly what kind of barrels distillers were using to age their spirits. So, without further ado, a list of general articles on barrel-aged gins, followed by links to a number of such products and snippets (as long or short as necessary) to document the barrel types in question.

First, the articles:

• The Entirely Defensible Fad for Limited-Edition, Barrel-Aged Gin
• Is Barrel Aged Gin a Good Idea?
• The Gin Goes Back Into the Barrel
• Trendwatch: Barrel-Aged Gin
• Barrel-Aged Gin Cocktails
• Gin Meets Whisky (in a barrel)
• Top 10 barrel-aged gins

And now, pay attention -- what follows is most emphatically not a review. It has nothing to do with quality -- it is simply snippets from linked articles explaining how different distillers barrel age their gins, for how long, in what types of barrels, and so on. It's not a review, it's just a reference list, and I'll add to it as I research more aged gins.

And now, the gins, in moderately alphabetical order with more to come as I run across them:

Caledonia Spirits' "Tom Cat" Barr Hill Reserve:

Caledonia Spirits "Tom Cat" Barr Hill Reserve Barrel Aged Gin is crafted by aging their Barr Hill Gin for 3-4 months in new charred American oak barrels, offering an invigorating nose of cola, lemon drops and sweet spice. While both the nose and palate retain the juniper and floral notes of the gin, they're accentuated by rich tones of caramel, banana, spice and oak. Though there are several barrel aged gin in the market, TTB did not approve Tom Cat to be classified as a gin and accordingly the label of Tom Cat does not say "gin".

Bombay Amber:

The 47% abv London dry gin is vapour-infused with nutmeg, black cardamom and orange zest, before being rested in French vermouth barrels.

Captive Spirits Bourbon Barreled Big Gin:

Bourbon Barreled Big Gin is a rare and rounded spirit. Aged 6 months in a once used Kentucky bourbon barrel, Bourbon Barreled Big Gin reveals rich and robust flavors perfect for mixing or sipping.

Citadelle Reserve:

In 2009, the goal was less wood flavor and more finesse. Citadelle Gin rested in oak casks that had a medium char for five months and produced a gin with subtle flavors of vanilla, flowers and cinnamon. Acclaimed spirits writer F. Paul Pacult named the 2009 Vintage one of the Top 50 Spirits of the Year.

In 2010, Gabriel wanted to engineer the perfect ‘aging’ gin with more flower and spices notes, so he produced a special batch of Citadelle with more violet, iris and grains of paradise. The gin was aged for six months in oak casks with a light char. This produced a gin with a perfect roundness, harmony and elegance.

In 2012, Gabriel added three new botanicals – yuzu, génépi and bleuet (cornflower) – to the 19 botanicals already used to make Citadelle Gin – and aged the spirit for six months in oak cases with a light char.

Copperworks Malt Barrel Gin:

Copperworks is excited to introduce Copperworks Malt Barrel Gin. This is a limited release of gin that’s been aged in an American Oak barrel that was previously used to age premium all-malt whiskey.

Our Malt Barrel Gin spent just over six months in a barrel rich with malt-whiskey essence — giving it soft vanilla and oak notes. But it definitely retained its juniper spiciness. There’s a hint of sweetness, with orange and cinnamon in the nose. It reminds us of a fine flan with a burnt sugar crust.

Like Copperworks award-winning flagship gin, our Malt Barrel Gin is distilled from a base of malted barley, primarily grown in Washington, with ten botanicals added in the final distillation.

Copperworks Malt Barrel Gin is the second in a series of limited-release aged gins we’re developing. We’re working with various barrel types to offer an assortment of aged gins with different flavor profiles. We started with gin aged in a new, charred American Oak barrel, straight from Kentucky. It was first because a new barrel releases its flavors more quickly than a used barrel. We’ll continually release different aged gins as they reach their peak flavor.

Corsair Experimental:

Rather unique among aged gins is the choice of barrel. Corsair Artisan Spirits makes a spiced rum, and for this batch they’ve used those barrels for aging their gin. I haven’t had their rum so its hard to say for certain I’m picking out notes that remind of spiced rum, but perhaps in the spices, perhaps in the aging, but there’s an interesting warmth in this gin.

Few Spirits Barrel Gin:

This is a stunning American gin, made by FEW Spirits in Illinois, USA. It was aged in oak barrels, and the result of this is an increased level of sweetness, complexity and spice.

Journeyman Distillery Bilberry Black Hearts Barrel Aged Gin:

Journeyman Bilberry Black Hearts gin is made from an organic wheat distillate and then aged in oak for 6 months prior to bottling, giving the normally clear gin a light cast and whiskey-character. They call it their "whiskey drinker's gin."

Rogue Spirits Pink Spruce Gin (select when you get there):

Pink Spruce Gin is Rogue’s Platinum award-winning Spruce Gin aged in Pinot Noir barrels for 4 – 6 months.

Roundhouse Imperial Barrel Aged Gin:

To make Imperial, we start with Roundhouse’s signature, award-winning Gin, distilled in small batches from the finest all natural botanicals, and then age it to perfection in oak casks for at least 10 months. The process introduces scotch and whiskey flavors causing our patrons to affectionately nickname it “Ginskey.”

Rusty Blade Gin:

Blade Gin specially aged in French Oak with a touch of magic. Unique release unlike anything you’ve had before. Bound to rival any single malt whiskey or cognac brandy.

Smooth Ambler Barrel Aged Gin - Stillhouse Collection:

A barrel aged gin from the excellent Smooth Ambler craft distillery in Greenbrier County, West Virginia. Their wonderfully citrus-led Greenbrier Gin is aged for 3 months in a combination of 50% virgin barrels and 50% ex-Old Scout Bourbon barrels before bottling at the higher abv of 49.5%.

St. George Spirits Dry Rye Reposado Gin:

We also make a limited-release, barrel-aged version we call Dry Rye Reposado Gin. Rested in French and American oak wine casks, it has a lovely pink hue and a deep, rich flavor that we think of as an offering to the gods of gin, whiskey, and wine.

Treaty Oak Waterloo Antique Barrel Reserve Gin:

The gin is distilled using local botanicals and spring water, and then aged in new American white oak barrels. Rather than bottling the gin at a consistent age, the 94-proof Antique Gin is comprised of various aged gins. According to Treaty Oak, this is because different flavor elements come to the front at different points of the aging process. So some of the gin is just one year old, while some is more than two years old. That oak adds some warm, whiskey-like qualities to the spirit without totally masking the herbal botanicals. We first tasted this one about a month ago and, tasted blind, it’s a confusing, though quite delicious experience.

Watershed Distillery Bourbon Barrel Gin:

Bourbon and Gin are two of our favorite things. Naturally, we wondered what would result if our gin was influenced by a tasty bourbon barrel. We carefully selected old bourbon barrels and used them to age our Four Peel Gin.

More to come as I run across them, or just leave a comment referring me to more. Barrel-aged gin; it's what's for dinner.