Rare Character Single Barrel Series 9 Year Old Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey VTO-012
9 years old | Cask strength | Single barrel VTO-012 | 750mL — Barrel VTO-012 is Rare Character's Single Barrel Series 9 Year Old Cask Strength Bourbon, selected exclusively by Del Mesa Liquor x Momma's Liquor — a one-of-one barrel that will never be repeated. Rare Character built its name on sourcing and finishing exceptional barrels across the country with a flavor-first, transparency-driven selection process, and this 9-year Kentucky bourbon is exactly the kind of bottle the program exists for. Bottled at 119.9 proof (59.95% ABV). Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
Nine years in oak brings structure and polish: dense waves of caramelized sugar, toasted oak, dark cherry, and vanilla bean on the nose, lifted by baking spice and leather; a full-bodied palate of toffee, brown butter, cinnamon, roasted peanut, and dark fruit compote; a long, warming finish of charred oak, molasses, cocoa, and spice — all amplified by cask-strength bottling with nothing added and nothing taken away. Among single-barrel bourbons, an exclusive store pick like this is the bottle collectors hunt: when the barrel's gone, it's gone. Neat, or with a few drops of water to open it.
Tasting notes
Nose: caramelized sugar, toasted oak, dark cherry, vanilla bean, baking spice, leather. Palate: full-bodied; toffee, brown butter, cinnamon, roasted peanut, dark fruit compote. Finish: long and warming; charred oak, molasses, cocoa, spice. (Per Del Mesa's barrel notes.)
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- 119.9 proof (59.95% ABV) — bottled straight from the barrel at cask strength
- 9 years old — matured to peak balance of richness and complexity
- Single barrel VTO-012 — one-of-one expression, never to be repeated
- Selected exclusively by Del Mesa Liquor x Momma's Liquor
- Rare Character: flavor-driven barrel selection by veteran whiskey curators
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Neat in a Glencairn to taste the barrel as selected; a few drops of water open the fruit and spice. Cask strength — sip, don't shoot.
Frequently asked questions
What does "single barrel" mean?
The bottle comes from one individual barrel — VTO-012 — not a blend of many. No two Rare Character barrels taste alike.
What is cask strength?
Bottled at the proof it came out of the barrel, undiluted — maximum flavor intensity. Add water to taste.
Is this exclusive to Del Mesa Liquor?
Yes — barrel VTO-012 was selected exclusively by Del Mesa Liquor x Momma's Liquor. Once it's sold through, it's gone for good.
How old is it?
9 years — well into the sweet spot where oak richness and bourbon sweetness balance.