Our next set of picks from our trip to Columbus, Ohio earlier this year is finally ready, and we’re excited to bring you four delicious single barrels from High Bank Distillery.
Founded in 2017, High Bank Distillery has been making waves with its diverse lineup of whiskeys - earning the title of Best Blended Whiskey at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2021, 2022, and 2023, and now a double finalist in 2025. Their 88 proof and barrel proof expressions are two of my go-to recommendations for their respective proof points. It’s been tough to keep some of their offerings in stock, and I imagine the same will be true for these new single barrels.
Our several-hour tasting session took us through double oaks, double double oaks, finished double double oaks, and cigar cask single barrels. The conversation meandered, but kept circling back to one surprising theme: a certain fast food chain. Whether it was pie-like notes, soft serve ice cream, beef tallow french fries, or that little secret sauce that pushes something over the top- we kept coming back to this being the McWhiskey release.
High Bank Whiskey War 100 Proof "Our Ice Cream Machine is Not Broken" Double Oaked
This 6.5 year double oaked bourbon (387 days in its second barrel) is the boxed pie for any season, warm sweet spices all the way but beautifully creamy at 100 proof.
The nose is dutch apple pie with caramel drizzle, perfumed apricot, sweet crème brûlée and a touch of leather continuing.
The palate is baked apple pie, chewy dried cranberry and cherry, even a hint of peach-like sweetness, all leading into silky chocolate and well-balanced oak.
There are no complaints with the 100 proof here, especially in the finish, as it trails creamy and sweet-toned with caramel, soft serve vanilla ice cream, tobacco, and moderate spice. Super approachable overall, especially for a double-oaked bourbon.
High Bank Whiskey War 117.60 Proof "Daily Double Double" Double Double Oaked
This 7-year bourbon gets both a second and a third barrel finishing (293 days in third barrel). You may think this would become too intense, but High Bank's Double Double oaks seem to only get more fruity and complex in that extra finishing. One of my favorite pours right now.
Juicy, dense, and inviting, the nose is packed with luscious caramel, singed orange peel, red berries, dried fruits, new leather, well-seasoned oak, and a nip of pepper.
The palate is engulfing, bursting with candied orange, cookie dough-like chewiness and sweetness, semi-sweet chocolate, honey graham, and beautifully spiced oak.
The finish carries through the caramel and orange notes from the nose and palate, adding pops of candied stone fruit. Medium in length, it trails off with a silky smoothness.
High Bank Whiskey War Barrel Select "Secret Sauce" Double Double Oaked in French Oak Cabernet
Taking the Double Double concept one step further, this 7- year bourbon spent 6 months in French Oak Cabernet, giving way to all sorts of dense, buttery, fruitiness.
The nose is jammy, toasty, and smoky all at once. Warming notes of cinnamon, ginger, and clove surround plum, cranberry, and raspberry, all layered with buttery, leathery brown sugar and dark chocolate sweetness.
The palate is explosive, cocoa powder and clove give way to saturated, spiced red and purple fruits, before fading into toasted vanilla custard and lingering dark chocolate.
The finish clings and evolves, growing damp and dry with notes of leather, buttery cherry pastry, soft black peppercorn, and tobacco.
High Bank Whiskey War 116.8 Proof "Would You Like Fries With That?" Cigar Cask
One of the most popular High Bank offerings and with good reason. This 5.5 year bourbon spent just 1 month spent in Amburana, and just me be one of the best Amburana finished single barrels we've done - quite the crowd pleasure too.
Cinnamon raisin bread, freshly baked banana bread, and pumpkin roll lead on the nose - layered with cream cheese frosting and warming cedar.
The palate is dessert in a glass: cinnamon roll frosting, marshmallow fluff, piña colada mix, and a tingling burst of pomegranate - like a thick, coating pineapple soft-serve fruited sour beer.
The finish is nearly indistinguishable from the palate, continuing long and dessert-like - almost as if you blended a piña colada with a caramel frappuccino and called it a day.
