Baked cinnamon apples | Cinnamon stick | Light tobacco leaf | Burnt caramel | Faint burnt oak | Sugared berries

Cinnamon spice | Mixed berry hard candy | Toasted oak | Cigar wrapper | Ash

Dry cinnamon | Light rye spice | Underlying sweet hard candy | Light smoldering oak | Dash of smoke | Long lasting

New Holland Spirits’ latest toasted barrel release includes three single barrels, including one finished in an ex-sherry barrel and one finished in an ex-port barrel. Each comes with a nickname and neck tag that includes distillery tasting notes. This isn’t the first time the brand has used a sherry barrel for finishing in this line, as they also released a sherry finished expression in 2023. This is a distillery-only release, however, the brand released 5-6 Toasted single barrels into the market in Michigan this month. This makes us hopeful that a broader release outside of Michigan or even an online sale of their toasted barrel series will be made possible for subsequent releases.

The combination of the sherry finish and toasted finish instantly reveals itself right from the get-go. A fruity cinnamon aroma mingles with sugared berries and various burnt scents. This theme carries through the rest of the sip with a berry hard candy theme making itself known, which adds a pleasing twist seeing as this is not a common flavor found in most bourbons. The sip ends with an incredibly long last finish that bides its time, alternating between a light smoky spice and a sweet hard candy note. The contrast between the sweet berries and fire-influenced oak can be at odds at points, which may be a turn-off for some. Overall,  “Backyard Bonfire” is an easy-sipping bourbon that delivers just enough variety in its sip to stand out from the crowd of other finished bourbons in the market.