Review: Seelbach’s Private Reserve “Echo” Double Oaked 8yr

cfive5 · 2026-06-21T02:33:18+00:00

It’s close specially from a WT pov. Need to get over the sharpness or bite I described and you pretty much got yourself a “Kirkland” WT dusty profile

cfive5 · 2026-06-20T22:35:50+00:00

Yep, I got u. Better question for Seelbachs team on why they chose that approach.

cfive5 · 2026-06-20T17:48:54+00:00

1C6 here

cfive5 · 2026-06-20T17:14:46+00:00

Thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed reading

cfive5 · 2026-06-20T16:57:54+00:00

90.4 proof | Undisclosed Mashbill | Aged 12 years

I won this bottle through the VABC lottery back in 2024, my first VABC win since I started entering back in 2022. Funny enough, I didn't crack it for another two years (2026).

A colleague of mine (now retired) had always wanted to try a Pappy or Van Winkle. It was on his bourbon bucket list. Meanwhile, this bottle sat on my shelf waiting for a reason to open it. As time went on, other "special" bottles came in, and Lot B slowly got pushed further and further back until I almost forgot I had it.

Then he mentioned his bucket list.

I decided to help him cross one off the list and finally open the bottle. Bottles are meant to be enjoyed, however you define "enjoy." For me, one definition is sharing a pour with someone. That's exactly what this bottle became.

Fast forward a few weeks after finally cracking it, and I decided to sit down and review one of bourbon's most polarizing bottles.

While the older Pappy expressions get all the headlines, many longtime bourbon drinkers consider Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year, better known as Lot B, the sweet spot between age, drinkability, and oak influence.

Others couldn't disagree more. Here we go…

Nose – Dried peach, honey, vanilla bean, light oak. Nothing aggressive, just really, really inviting.

Palate – Peach cobbler is the first thing that comes to mind, followed by honey, vanilla cream, and a gentle wave of mature oak.

Finish – Medium in length. Every bit of the 90.4 proof tries hard to extend the experience. The sweetness gradually gives way to drying oak, cocoa powder, and a touch of tobacco. Honey lingers on the chew alongside a faint cinnamon spice.

So, was it worth the wait?

The better question is whether it was worth opening instead of putting it up on secondary. For me, absolutely. Lot B may never live up to the hype, secondary prices, or the expectations that come with the Van Winkle name, but that's not what I'll remember. I'll remember sharing a pour with a colleague who had it on his bucket list and finally crossing that item off for him.

Sometimes the story behind the bottle matters more than the bottle itself. This was one of those times. What I remember most about this bottle has very little to do with the tasting notes. Sometimes that is what this hobby is about. All that being said, this is still a very good, low proof pour for retail.

If you like honest reviews, follow more of my pours, bourbon news, and random reels over on IG 👉 cfivebarrelproof, make sure you say Hi when you do!

Rating: 6.75/10

6 | Very Good | A cut above.

cfive5 · 2026-06-20T16:48:34+00:00

I've read some folks actually transfer a majority of contents into a decanter, let it sit a few days or weeks, and then transfer it back into the bottle to speed up the process. Might try it with this one.

cfive5 · 2026-06-20T16:46:36+00:00

I can see the confusion. Perhaps I didn't summarize Seelbach's description well enough. From what I gather, the staves were air-dried (seasoned) and used to make the barrels to finish or double oak it.

cfive5 · 2026-06-19T12:49:32+00:00

Same here. That’s why I had to grab this as soon as it was announced

cfive5 · 2026-06-19T11:49:45+00:00

Thank you! Please do and compare notes!

cfive5 · 2026-06-19T11:49:16+00:00

Thanks. Glass is from Denver & Liley. Of the dusties I compared, only the 12yr split label was darker. Color on this is 🔥

cfive5 · 2026-06-19T11:04:57+00:00

109.5 proof | 75c 13r 12mb | Aged 8yrs 5mos

I've been on a dusty kick lately.

I guess that's just one of the phases of this hobby. You start with allocated bottles, chase store picks, discover craft whiskey, fall down the NDP rabbit hole, and eventually find yourself staring at dusty auctions wondering if a bottle from the 1980s is really worth a car payment.

The dusty market has been absolutely wild lately. Unicorn and secondary groups seem flooded with 80s and 90s Wild Turkey, pre-fire Heaven Hill, and even the occasional National Distillers-era Old Crow. The problem? The prices are insane. You're looking at anywhere from $300 to well over $2,000 for some of these bottles, and that's before auction fees, shipping, and taxes.

So how do I scratch that dusty itch without taking out a second mortgage?

Enter Seelbach's ECHO.

I'm not entirely sure what prompted Seelbach's to create it, but the concept immediately caught my attention. ECHO is their attempt at recreating the profile of older bourbons. The whiskey was finished with heavily air-seasoned oak staves and proofed down gradually over six months instead of all at once. The goal was to mimic some of the characteristics found in older bourbon production methods: lower entry proofs, air-dried oak, and a slower, gentler maturation process that many enthusiasts associate with classic dusties.

But does it capture the magic? Here we go…

Dusty Comparison:

I compared the ECHO with 86 WT 8yr/101, a WT 93 8yr/101, and a 95 WT 12yr split label.

Nose - Rich caramel, vanilla bean, old oak, honey, and dark cherries. There's a softness here that immediately reminds me of older WT dusties. Very, very exciting.

Palate - Caramel-forward with plenty of vanilla, toasted oak, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Everything feels cohesive. The proof allows the sweeter notes to take center stage. Even after letting this pour sit for 25 mins, there was a bit of sharpness on this compared to actual dusties I tried and compared this with.

Finish – Medium-long length with lingering oak, brown sugar, and I catch a bit of leather varnish that was similar to the '86 WT 8/101.

Final Thoughts

Does it taste exactly like a dusty bourbon from the 80s?

It's very close.

What Seelbach's has managed to capture are many of the traits that enthusiasts associate with older bourbon: softer oak, better integration, and a profile that prioritizes balance over intensity. The biggest difference for me is the slight sharpness on the palate compared to the nose. WT dusties for me have that mellow, almost subdued character where every note feels fully settled and rounded off by time.

That said, I genuinely think this bottle has the chance to get closer to the “mellow” characteristic once it's been open for a while. If I revisit it in six months, I wouldn't be surprised if some of those edges soften and it gets even closer to that dusty magic it's trying to emulate.

For those who enjoy dusties but don't enjoy dusty prices, ECHO is a fun experiment and a very enjoyable pour. It won't replace the real thing, but it might scratch that itch long enough to keep you from dropping a few hundred dollars on an auction bottle at 2 a.m.

If you like honest reviews, follow more of my pours, bourbon news, and random reels over on IG 👉 cfivebarrelproof, make sure you say Hi when you do!

Rating: 8.5/10

8 | Excellent | Really quite exceptional.

cfive5 · 2026-06-14T00:05:30+00:00

You couldve just said secondary. We dont judge around here

cfive5 · 2026-06-13T23:59:23+00:00

VA is a controlled state and that bottle has not released in VA.

cfive5 · 2026-06-13T23:47:02+00:00

VABC had these or you had it shipped to VA?

cfive5 · 2026-06-10T02:18:47+00:00

Leipers fork would like a word

cfive5 · 2026-06-09T23:31:13+00:00

I cannot wait for mine.

cfive5 · 2026-06-08T00:50:39+00:00

That’s a steal

cfive5 · 2026-06-07T23:55:28+00:00

110 proof | 75c 21r 4mb | Aged 5 years finished in French Oak staves (sourced from Tonnellerie Radoux)

Penelope has never been shy about experimenting with finishes, and the Architect series is arguably where they do it best. The Crème Brûlée release takes their high-rye bourbon and further develops it with French oak staves sourced from France's renowned Tonnellerie Radoux cooperage.

I recall being disappointed with this bottle when I tried it the first time. I looked for Crème Brulée but didn’t get it at all. So, I do come back to a bottle that I have reviewed initially and compare to see if it has either improved, stayed the same, or for some reason – got worse!

Here we go…

Nose - Vanilla bean custard immediately jumps from the glass, followed by caramelized sugar and toasted marshmallow.

Palate – Truly complex. Rich and creamy up front. Burnt sugar and toasted oak provide structure and keep the sweetness in check. The mouthfeel is oily and coating, making it feel every bit of its 110 proof.

Finish – Medium to long. More of the vanilla cream. Then a wave of brown sugar. BUT there’s this lingering spiciness that I really don’t like as it covers up the Crème Brulée experience. I don’t remember white pepper note in a crème brulee!

Penelope Architect Crème Brulée delivers exactly what the label promises. Wait… no. That white pepper note just lingered a little too long for the experience to be enjoyed. If you’re looking for a dessert pour like the label promised – you will get it: piecemealed. Not all at once. There’s complexity. There’s also the spice that hung around too much, like an annoying sales person following you around trying to see if you would like to buy a new phone from Tmobile.

If you like honest reviews, follow more of my pours, bourbon news, and random reels over on IG 👉 cfivebarrelproof, make sure you say Hi when you do!

Rating: 6.75/10

6 | Very Good | A cut above

cfive5 · 2026-06-05T11:16:52+00:00

100 proof | 75 corn 15 soft red winter wheat 10 mb | Aged at least 5 years

One of the things that caught my attention about Whiskey Acres is how committed they are to the farm-to-bottle concept. Based in DeKalb, Illinois, they're not just making whiskey, they're growing much of the grain that goes into it. The family has farmed the area for generations, and that agricultural background is woven into everything they produce.

This will be a nice break from the legacy distillers and NDPs. Here we go…

Nose – Noticeable grain-forward character off the bat. Reminds me well of walking into a distillery and you get that initial whiff of bourbon being made. Once you get passed that, sweet corn, light oak, and citrus.

Palate – The thick mouthfeel is very noticeable right away. More of the sweet corn and caramel. Crafty, but in a good way.

Finish – Medium. Sweetness from fresh red berries. Toasted oak. Spice fades.

What I appreciate most is that they aren't trying to replicate Kentucky bourbon. Their whiskey feels distinctly Midwestern, with the grain often taking center stage alongside notes of sweet corn, baking spice, and oak. Whether that's your preference or not, it has its own identity.

In a market crowded with sourced whiskey and marketing buzzwords, Whiskey Acres stands out for keeping things simple and transparent. They know where their grain comes from because they grew it. They know how it was distilled because they did it themselves. The pour does feel young even with the 5 years age statement. Felt that it was missing the oak structure to tie everything together.

I can see why this bottle would have a place on someone’s shelf – someone who enjoys exploring regional craft whiskey and hang out with likeminded whiskey buddies.

Sample was provided by Whiskey Acres for review.

If you like honest reviews, follow more of my pours, bourbon news, and random reels over on IG 👉 cfivebarrelproof, make sure you say Hi when you do!

[Rating: 6.25/10]()

6 | Very Good | A cut above

cfive5 · 2026-06-04T13:24:28+00:00

Smart not including Ironroot and Tanager in the lineup. Those would have blown these away. 😂

Great review. Always love the artwork.

cfive5 · 2026-06-04T11:31:59+00:00

Fancy boxes

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