rare character single barrel amburana cask finished rye ii

The Rare Character Native Wood Series and Finishing Series are born from the main ethos of Rare Character—challenging norms and introducing remarkable, rare spirits—but with another twist; this series uses native wood barrels from around the world, never seen before in the United States, to finish American whiskey.

From Lee Diaz, Topflight Series Panel Member: 

Amburana-finished whiskey has quickly grown in popularity while often remaining challenging to find. While some have made compelling attempts at mastering the impact of this wood, only some can accomplish this feat, including Rare Character. Their approach to Amburana-finished Rye is so good that it was ranked #1 in Uproxx's Top 50 Rye Whiskeys of 2022. There is just something about that combination of the rye whiskey's complexity and the decadent notes introduced by the Amburana wood.

In our Amburana II release, Pablo Moix has again proven that even more depth and boldness of flavor can be developed by combining this nearly 7YO 51% Rye finished for months with toasted Amburana. At 117.5 proof, the aromas welcome you into a tasting experience unlike any other with a nose full of cinnamon, pastry, woody spice, clove, allspice, and nuttiness. You'll discover notes of cacao, almond, cinnamon, crème brûlée, and citrus with each sip. The citrus continues into the finish of candied orange, dark chocolate, cashew, toasted oak, and pipe tobacco. While stacked at over 117-proof, this pour drinks incredibly smooth — I would suggest enjoying this pour neat. 

TOPFLIGHT: Series 3, Barrel No.9

PROOF: 117.50

AGE: 6 Years, 8 Months

MASHBILL: 51% rye / 45% corn / 4% malted barley

FINISHING BARREL: Amburana

CHAR / TOAST: Toasted

WAREHOUSE LOCATION: Bloomington, IN

DATE PULLED: November 2023