A. Altschuler and Co. 19 Year "Ristretto" Single Barrel Straight Bourbon The Prime Barrel Pick #161

A. Altschuler and Co.

“Ristretto” A. Altschuler and Co. 19 Year "Ristretto" Single Barrel Straight Bourbon The Prime Barrel Pick #161

19 years 114.46 Proof Barrel No. 22-W

$350

Sold out — this barrel has been fully allocated.

Bottle Passport

The permanent record of this barrel.

Prime Barrel · Single Barrel Registry

Selection

A. Altschuler and Co. 19 Year "Ristretto" Single Barrel Straight Bourbon

Barrel Number
22-W
Age
19 years
Proof / ABV
114.46 Proof
57.23% ABV
Yield
86 Bottles
Char Level
Medium/Medium Toast

Mashbill

Bourbon

  • 78% Corn
  • 13% Rye
  • 9% Malted Barley

Tasting Profile

Three stages, one barrel

Nosed and scored at cask strength, neat, in a tulip glass. Notes follow the order you will actually meet them in.

I

Nose

Rich and refined with bruleed caramel and soft vanilla layered with stewed cherry, dried rose petal, and polished French oak

II

Palate

Spiced cherry pastry layered with clove, cinnamon and dark fruit evolving into caramelized sugar, black tea, cocoa nib, and structured oak

III

Finish

Long with lingering baking spice as the sweetness fades into a refined drying oak

Barrel Master Palate Index

Panel scores, 0–10

Sweet & Vanilla
5
Fruity & Bright
4
Spicy & Bold
7
Nutty & Chocolatey
4
Oaky & Woody
7
Tannic & Dry
8
Floral & Delicate
4
Smoky & Earthy
4
Savory & Umami
0
Unique & Experimental
4

The Barrel Story

Why we chose this barrel

A. Aultschuler & Co continues to knock it out of the park with expertly crafted, ultra-aged barrel-finished bourbon, and this exceptional 19-year-old Kentucky bourbon finished in French oak is no exception. A sister barrel to the highly sought-after 18-year Prime Barrel selection, this release was a standout during the recent Prime Barrel virtual tasting with Woodwork Collective.

This rare double oak bourbon carries a story as rich as its flavor. Originally contract distilled in 2005 by a legacy Kentucky distillery, the whiskey matured for 15 years and 8 months in American oak, developing deep, classic bourbon character before being toted. It was then transferred into a 500-liter French oak barrel, crafted by a renowned German cooperage, where it underwent an additional four years of secondary aging—unlocking a new dimension of complexity and refinement.

Distilled from a traditional mashbill of 78% corn, 13% rye, and 9% malted barley, this cask strength bourbon (114.46 proof) delivers a rich, refined profile. Expect luxurious layers of bruleed caramel, soft vanilla, and stewed cherry on the nose, giving way to spiced cherry pastry, caramelized sugar, black tea, and cacao nib on the palate, and a long finish with lingering baking spices as the sweetness fades into a refined drying oak.  

Over 15 years in American oak have built the foundation.  Four years in French oak changed the conversation.  

The result is a beautifully integrated French oak finished Kentucky bourbon—rich, complex, and unmistakably distinctive. The A. Aultschuler & Co. 19-year double oak bourbon will make a standout addition to any premium bourbon lineup this summer.

Barrel Details:

  • Barrel #22-W
  • Distilled:  2005 by an undisclosed legacy distillery in Kentucky
  • Age:  19 years  (15 years, 8 months in original cask, 4 years in French oak barrel)
  • Mashbill: 78% corn, 13% rye, 9% malted barley
  • Proof: 114.46 proof

Tasting Notes:

  • Nose:  Rich and refined with bruleed caramel and soft vanilla layered with stewed cherry, dried rose petal, and polished French oak
  • Palate:  Spiced cherry pastry layered with clove, cinnamon and dark fruit evolving into caramelized sugar, black tea, cocoa nib, and structured oak
  • Finish:  Long with lingering baking spice as the sweetness fades into a refined drying oak

One barrel, No. 22-W — bottled at 114.46 proof, 19 years in the wood.

Drawing a whiskey sample from an oak barrel
Whiskey tasting around a barrel in a rickhouse

Behind the Selection

The people behind the pick

This pick has been in the making for quite some time. It really started when we selected the 18-year-old version as The Prime Barrel Pick #100. The response from members was overwhelming, and ever since, we've been hearing the same question: "Can we go back to that well one more time?"

This time, though, there was an interesting twist. The whiskey spent an additional year maturing in a French oak finishing barrel. Naturally, we wanted to see how that extra year and secondary maturation would shape the profile.

We're very glad we went back.

Selection panel

  • @MrG
  • @Corys4969
  • @oodlesoffun

Prime Barrel members and curators, present at the barrel.

Watch the Pick

See the barrel chosen

Watch Mr. G review of this pick

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Member Reviews

What drinkers say about this barrel

Questions

About this barrel

Who made Ristretto?

A. Altschuler and Co.. It's a single barrel The Prime Barrel picked as Pick #161, bottled only for us.

How old is it, and what proof?

Age: 19 years. Bottled at 114.46 proof (57.23% ABV), from barrel No. 22-W.

What's the mashbill?

78% Corn13% Rye, 9% Malted Barley. Bourbon.

What does it taste like?

Nose: Rich and refined with bruleed caramel and soft vanilla layered with stewed cherry, dried rose petal, and polished French oak Palate: Spiced cherry pastry layered with clove, cinnamon and dark fruit evolving into caramelized sugar, black tea, cocoa nib, and structured oak Finish: Long with lingering baking spice as the sweetness fades into a refined drying oak

How many bottles are there?

This barrel gave 86 bottles. There's no second batch: when they sell out, this pick is gone.

Ristretto

$350