{"product_id":"virgil-kaine-eighth-notch-straight-bourbon-whiskey-finished-in-vanilla-smoked-toasted-barrels","title":"Virgil Kaine Eighth Notch Bourbon Finished in Vanilla Smoked Toasted Barrels","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVirgil Kaine Eighth Notch Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Vanilla Smoked Toasted Barrels\u003c\/strong\u003e 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProcess \u0026amp; Profile\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eVirgil 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe finish runs long and warm, riding out on cracked pepper, fresh sourdough bread, tobacco leaf, and lingering vanilla.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eServe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is this whisky?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are the specs?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e116.8 proof (58.4% ABV), five years old, 75% corn \/ 21% rye \/ 4% malted barley mash bill, 750ml. A limited release of 3,200 bottles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat does it taste like?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSmoke, 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow should you enjoy it?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNeat in a Glencairn to read the vanilla smoke, or in an Old Fashioned where its char and pepper shine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy is this release notable?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIts vanilla-smoked toasted-barrel finish is a genuinely one-of-a-kind technique, capped at just 3,200 bottles at barrel proof.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Virgil Kaine","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50106902970616,"sku":"19267","price":79.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0352\/3140\/0072\/files\/WhatsAppImage2023-01-10at00.10.16_1.jpg?v=1785788870","url":"https:\/\/thebourboncentral.com\/products\/virgil-kaine-eighth-notch-straight-bourbon-whiskey-finished-in-vanilla-smoked-toasted-barrels","provider":"Bourbon Central","version":"1.0","type":"link"}