Virgil Kaine Eighth Notch Bourbon Finished in Vanilla Smoked Toasted Barrels

Virgil Kaine Eighth Notch Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Vanilla Smoked Toasted Barrels is a barrel-proof, chef-driven experiment from a South Carolina brand that treats whiskey like a kitchen ingredient — a limited run of just 3,200 bottles built around a vanilla-smoking technique you will not find anywhere else on the shelf. It is a natural pick for the curious drinker who chases the unusual rather than the familiar.

Process & Profile

Virgil Kaine Lowcountry Whiskey was founded in 2011 by former chefs David Szlam and Ryan Meany, who bring a culinary hand to everything the North Charleston brand releases. The liquid here starts as five-year-old bourbon sourced from MGP in Indiana, built on a 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley mash bill. What sets the release apart is the second cask: barrels from Gainesville Cooperage in Georgia, toasted to a medium-heavy char and then packed with smoke made from dried, discarded vanilla pods ground in a coffee grinder — a trick Szlam adapted from his restaurant days. The bourbon rests in those vanilla-smoked barrels for roughly three more months before bottling at a barrel proof of 116.8 (58.4% ABV), uncut and unfiltered.

On the nose, expect a genuine whiff of smoke — nowhere near peat or campfire, more like a warm kitchen — over fresh green wood, caramel, baking spice, and a crack of black pepper.

On the palate, the first surprise is the mouthfeel: unusually creamy for a barrel-proof pour. Vanilla bean sits front and center without ever turning sweet or artificial, trailed by cherry, dried mango, honey, barrel char, and a faint cola note.

The finish runs long and warm, riding out on cracked pepper, fresh sourdough bread, tobacco leaf, and lingering vanilla.

The name nods to the eighth and final notch in a diesel train's throttle — full speed ahead — and the bottle earns it. Where the rest of the Virgil Kaine lineup leans on infusions of green tea, cherry, and ginger, Eighth Notch is a straight bourbon reshaped entirely through smoke and wood, and it drew a 94 from Whisky Advocate's Ted Simmons for how cleanly that smoke integrates.

Serve it in a Glencairn to catch the vanilla smoke, or build it into an Old Fashioned where the char and pepper hold up beautifully against a sugar cube and bitters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this whisky?
A five-year MGP straight bourbon, finished for about three months in toasted barrels infused with smoke from dried vanilla pods and bottled at barrel proof by South Carolina's Virgil Kaine.

What are the specs?
116.8 proof (58.4% ABV), five years old, 75% corn / 21% rye / 4% malted barley mash bill, 750ml. A limited release of 3,200 bottles.

What does it taste like?
Smoke, caramel, and green wood on the nose; a creamy palate of vanilla bean, cherry, dried mango, and char; a long, peppery finish carrying tobacco and sourdough.

How should you enjoy it?
Neat in a Glencairn to read the vanilla smoke, or in an Old Fashioned where its char and pepper shine.

Why is this release notable?
Its vanilla-smoked toasted-barrel finish is a genuinely one-of-a-kind technique, capped at just 3,200 bottles at barrel proof.