Nashville Barrel Company (NBC) has become something of a haven for whiskey enthusiasts. Almost from the get-go, this Tennessee-based non-distilling producer (NDP) made a name for itself with some stellar rye whiskey releases before expanding to bourbons and even Canadian whisky. Much of the acclaim behind NBC seems to stem from the team’s penchant for quality single barrel releases, resulting in the aforementioned appeal to enthusiasts.

My introduction to the brand came through a pair of 8-year rye picks and a small batch rye whiskey, the latter of which technically put NBC on the radar. Since then, I’ve tried a handful of NBC selections, many of which left me with a good-not-great sentiment. Yet if there’s one thing to know about brands heavily established in single barrel options, it’s that variation will always be a factor.

Which brings us to the subject of today’s review, a pick named “Plomo” selected by the group Shelf Clear Society. This was the first of an assortment of NBC picks the group did, coming from a barrel of bourbon (21% rye) from Ross & Squibb aged for eight years in Kelvin cooperage barrels. Kelvin is probably the second most widely recognized cooperage for bourbon whiskey and, in my experience, can help produce some uniquely savory profiles during maturation. Let’s see how this particular selection plays out.

Nose: Juicy blood orange over a layer of flan. Some ginger sugar, dehydrated peach, grapefruit, and mango with buttercream and a strong pop of orange. Mild to moderate undercurrent of clove and freshly cracked black pepper.

Palate: Bright and vibrant upfront with core citrus-meets-barrel spice notes while an oaky and slightly bitter and tannic essence hits on the back. Sticky toffee while leaning into ginger spice (almost heavily so) while the orange from the nose gradually creeps in.

Finish: Long and faintly bitter with a rising presence of ginger spice. Some custard and orange vibes with bits of barrel char release over time, offering a pleasant contrast to the more spice-driven experience.

Talk about a wild card of a pour. I’ve tried my share of recent Ross & Squibb barrels, but they rarely hit like this. Plomo is expressive to the nth degree, caring little about how aggressive it may come across. This makes it the epitome of a mood pour, but when that mood hits, few things will bring the same fulfillment. From nose to finish, a pour of this is like a storm of dehydrated fruits and barrel spice vibes, particularly when it comes to citrus and ginger. That aforementioned aggressive personality shines with a pepper medley and sensation of freshly charred wood, bringing a surprisingly savory essence that either makes or breaks the experience, depending on the person or the day.

I suppose the key word that comes to mind with Plomo is “unapologetic.” It has a certain charisma that will either draw people in or repel them outright. Even if that charisma doesn’t align with your usual vibes, one thing’s for certain: you’ll have a hard time forgetting it.