2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Double Gold Medal Winner

Some releases are special.
This one is personal.

This Cask Strength Baby Barrel Bourbon was created exclusively for members of the Breaking Bourbon Barrel Club and born from a uniquely collaborative selection process at McLaughlin Distillery.

Interest in the original release was so strong that it sold out before every club member had the opportunity to purchase a bottle. Rather than rushing a follow-up or forcing a decision, the Breaking Bourbon team took a different approach.

Seven samples were pulled from seven distinct 2.5-gallon Baby Barrels and sent directly to the Breaking Bourbon team for evaluation. From those seven, five standout barrels were identified. Those five were then presented to the Barrel Club, allowing members themselves to help determine the final selection—choosing the three barrels that best represented the depth, character, and personality of our Baby Barrel program.

Rather than blending them together, the decision was made to let each barrel speak entirely for itself.

The result is a three-barrel, single-cask release, bottled exactly as it came from the barrel at full cask strength. No dilution. No blending. No adjustments. Just pure, unapologetic Baby Barrel Bourbon—each expression offering a different lens into the same foundation.

At the core is our signature approach: a 100% corn mash bill, five years of aging, and maturation in tiny 2.5-gallon barrels that dramatically accelerate interaction between spirit and wood. These small barrels amplify flavor, texture, and intensity, producing a bourbon that is rich, bold, and remarkably complex. Northern oak, sourced from slower-growing trees with tighter grain structure, contributes layered notes of caramel, vanilla, spice, and char that define the Baby Barrel profile.

All three barrels are bottled unfiltered and unblended at cask strength, delivering a powerful, full-bodied experience with a chewy mouthfeel and lingering warmth that rewards slow, deliberate sipping.

Choose Your Barrel

(Breaking Bourbon Team's Tasting Notes)

Barrel #1679 — “The Intensely Flavorful One”

Proof: 117.56

Nose: Dark chocolate, black pepper, apple cider
Palate: Gripping intensity, brown sugar, spike of black pepper, hint of dark chocolate, dense oak
Finish: Sandalwood, dry cinnamon, dark chocolate, leather, balancing sweet and savory

Bold and expressive, this barrel delivers layered intensity with a satisfying balance of sweetness, spice, and dense oak.

Barrel #1680 — “The Dark-Fruit-Forward One”

Proof: 118.32

Nose: Dark fruit, Concord grape, blackberry cobbler, hint of pine
Palate: Concord grape, brown sugar, pie crust, graham cracker
Finish: Brown sugar, espresso, allspice, baking spices, chocolate malt balls

A rich mix of dark fruit, dessert-like sweetness, and warming spice, with depth that unfolds sip by sip.

Barrel #1681 — “The Quintessential McLaughlin Baby Barrel”

Proof: 119.2

Nose: Caramel, churro, allspice
Palate: Corn syrup, brown sugar, caramel, dense oak
Finish: Light black pepper, allspice, burnt brown sugar

Centered on classic Baby Barrel character—brown sugar, caramel, and dense oak—with a lingering, slightly charred sweetness on the finish.

This is bourbon in its purest form—three barrels, three personalities, one shared foundation of patience, craftsmanship, and intention. Whether you’re drawn to intensity, dark fruit, or classic Baby Barrel richness, the choice is yours.

To share… or not to share—well, that’s entirely up to you.