Stewed apple | Cooked cherry | Almond pastry | Savory, mixed nuts undertone | Aged leather

Marzipan | Vanilla wafer | Dried apricot | Burnt brown sugar | Rich & sweet

Warm caramel | Dried apple | Apricot | Toasted almond | Long

Dragon’s Milk Origin Toasted Barrel series continues to be highly anticipated among bourbon drinkers in the know, with bottles released at New Holland Brewing Company’s Michigan locations followed by limited online sales as well. This is the second drop of the year, with batch designations of 2026E, 2026F, and 2026G. The finishing varies by batch: 2026G is finished in toasted barrels, 2026E in toasted and vermouth barrels, and batch 2026F in review is finished in toasted and amaretto barrels.

Amaretto is often made using apricot pits, peach stones, or a combination of these. The stone fruit pits contain a natural compound called benzaldehyde, which gives amaretto its nutty flavor profile. Dragon’s Milk bourbon seems like a natural fit for an amaretto finish, as it typically has flavors of apricot, citrus, and vanilla.

The aroma is surprisingly grounded in a savory, mixed nuts undertone, with accents of stewed apple, cooked cherry, and almond pastry adding a layer of sweetness. An aged leather note also appears, though it feels somewhat out of place. The palate shifts heavily towards the sweet side, with a big marzipan flavor note up front, joined by vanilla wafer, that quintessential Dragon’s Milk dried apricot, and burnt brown sugar. The finish brings warm caramel, dried apple, apricot, and toasted almond. It’s quite long, following the densely rich midpoint.

This is a really interesting finish for New Holland, and I want to see them iterate on it further. The palate and finish are fantastic and cohesive, but the aroma doesn’t feel like it goes with the rest of the sip. Given the range of flavors and how small these batches are, the single barrels selected for the blend will affect how the finish grabs hold of them. Overall, though, an amaretto finish is probably a mainstay for this brand, as there is so much potential for synergy here.