Stellum Black Review
In-Depth Review
It seems like the folks at Barrell Craft spirits simply can’t get enough of experimentation. Known for being one of the preeminent blenders of American spirits, Barrell launched Stellum in 2021 - a sub-brand dedicated to “bringing American whiskey into the modern age”. And while that sounds like a noble goal – how is this any different than what Barrell is already doing with their own releases? Despite the slightly confusing positioning, Stellum continues to explore Barrell’s blending techniques with bourbon and rye across a core range and single barrel offerings.
Today, we are diving into Stellum Black – marketed as an older and more complex version of their regular Stellum bourbon. It remains non-age stated but is promised to contain older and more complex barrels. Bottled at full cask strength, it contains a blend of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee whiskies. The branding remains minimal - which is a breath of fresh air for a limited release that came out in late 2021. Since then, Stellum has flown a bit under the radar (I’m not sure they are even still releasing new product), so this bottle must have been left over from that initial release. At an MSRP of around $100, is it worth overlooking some of the heavy hitters from established brands and taking a chance on this instead? Let’s dive in and find out.
Age: Non-Age Stated
ABV: 54.61%
Cask: New oak casks
MSRP: $100
Distillery Name: Barrel Craft Spirits
Review Date: 5/8/26
Color: Medium Caramel
Nose: The nose starts with a heavy dose of oak, tangy caramel sauce, and strong minerality that cuts through a toffee-cookie sweetness. As it settles in the glass, there’s an earthy, herbal quality that balances out some of the sharp, sweet edges.
Palate: The palate is full of toasted marshmallows, cornmeal, and milk chocolate. It runs hot throughout – and struggles to find a solid midpalate. After a few sips, more vanilla and hot honey poke through – balanced by a vibrant orange peel and peanut brittle. Decent mouthfeel but struggles against the weight of its own heat.
Finish: Medium to long finish that maintains the spicy character but throws in a dollop of chocolate fudge and cinnamon sticks. Settles on the middle of the tongue and lingers well between sips.
Final Thoughts: Stellum Black Bourbon is a pour that feels like it’s always yelling at you at full volume. The heat is just simply hard to ignore. It’s characterized by a strong spice that never fully settles into a balanced pour. With a few drops of water it becomes more well-rounded but is held back by earthy, herbal notes that become more pronounced as it’s diluted.
While I am a huge fan of Barrell’s many projects, this feels like they are trying to be someone else – and never quite achieves their unique mark. While I’d never shy away from a pour from a solid cask strength bourbon like Stellum Black, at $100, there are better options in the Barrell portfolio that are far more interesting to me (Batch 36, Vantage, Armida are all great choices).
