Stellum Black 'Equinox Blend #1' Bourbon Whiskey
Stellum Black 'Equinox Blend #1' Bourbon Whiskey is a 117.26-proof (58.63% ABV), 750mL cask-strength limited release from Barrell Craft Spirits' Stellum line — a blend of straight bourbons distilled in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee, bottled unfiltered at barrel proof. "Black" is Stellum's premium specialty-blend tier: rare reserve barrels are layered step-by-step into the base Stellum blend in small batches. "Equinox" marks the evening of the Vernal Equinox in spring 2022, when this inaugural blend was completed. Only 8,400 bottles were produced. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 58.63% (117.26 proof) — cask strength, unfiltered
- Size: 750mL
- Blend: straight bourbons from Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee — no age statement
- Blender: Barrell Craft Spirits, Louisville, KY (Stellum Black specialty tier)
- Release: inaugural Equinox Blend, spring 2022 — 8,400 bottles
- Recognition: Double Platinum Medal, 2023 ASCOT Awards
Blended on the First Night of Spring
Joe Beatrice and the Barrell Craft Spirits blending team treat Stellum Black as their reserve-barrel playground: where the core Stellum bourbon is built for consistency, Black releases fold in rare barrels in small, deliberate batches. Equinox Blend #1 — the first of its name — was finished on the evening of the Vernal Equinox 2022, a nod to the changing seasons in the rickhouse. The result is a cask-strength blend of Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee straight bourbons with the polish of a much older whiskey. A Double Platinum at the 2023 ASCOT Awards confirmed what early reviewers found: this is Barrell blending at its most ambitious. For bourbon hunters, the 8,400-bottle run is the whole story — when it's gone, it's gone.
Tasting Notes
Big and polished: dark cherry, brown butter, and leather over toasted oak and clove. The palate is rich and chewy at full proof — caramel, baking spice, and dried fig — with a long, warming finish of vanilla bean and oak. Water opens waves of fruit and spice.
How to Enjoy
Neat with patience, or with water to taste it at stages down from 117 proof. Built for a bourbon drinker's contemplative pour; also magnificent in a single-large-cube Old Fashioned. Pair with dark chocolate or a ribeye.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Equinox" mean?
The blend was completed on the evening of the Vernal Equinox (spring 2022), in honor of the changing seasons.
What is Stellum Black?
The premium limited-edition tier of Stellum Spirits (Barrell Craft Spirits), where rare reserve barrels are layered into the base blend in small batches.
How many bottles were made?
8,400 bottles of Equinox Blend #1.
Is it really 117.26 proof?
Yes — bottled unfiltered at cask strength, 58.63% ABV. (Note: 114.34 proof figures seen online belong to other Stellum Black releases.)
Explore more Stellum Spirits limited blends and our bourbon whiskey collection. Allocations this small don't last — order Equinox Blend #1 online from Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.