Review #727 - Peerless Single Barrel Bourbon 'Cherry Soda'
Peerless distillery in Louisville, Kentucky uses the sweet mash process when producing their whiskies, meaning they don't add any backset from previous mash cycles to new mashes. They also bottle everything at barrel proof; instead of adding water in the bottling process, they start with a lower barrel entry proof (53.5% ABV), and most of their bourbons and ryes end up between 52% ABV and 60% ABV after maturation.
The distillery's bourbon mashbill is a closely guarded secret, as well; really, not a lot of specific details are known about these bottles, but their quality generally speaks for itself. This single barrel variation of their bourbon has been titled 'Cherry Soda,' and it comes in at a final strength of 55.4% ABV (110.8 proof).
These single barrels can be a bit expensive - the last time we were at the distillery, they were on sale for $120 or so - but you do get some nice flavor variation with them. Let's see how this specific example tastes.
Peerless Single Barrel Bourbon 'Cherry Soda'
USA - Bourbon
Price: USD 120 (2025)
Age Statement: NAS
Strength: 55.4% ABV
Details: Not chill filtered
Tasting Methodology: Reviewed 3 times over 3 months from a sample. Tasted in a nosing glass each time, rested 15+ minutes
Nose: Sweet and fruity with cherries, orange citrus, and banana notes, almost nutty banana bread. Stronger oak notes build, bringing wood char and leather, and there's a hint of woody funk as well. Cola notes, especially Cherry Coke, arrive, and then we find a softer herbal side, hints of rye.
Palate: Warm with drying, tannic oak, lots of cinnamon, chocolate, and cola. Dark cherry notes combine with some sweet vanilla and wood smoke; hints of bananas and pineapple upside down cake pop up. The mouthfeel is medium-thick.
Finish: Soft orange fruit, fizzy pineapple, ripe banana - almost tropical at times. Oak is still strong, bringing leather and wood char, and we get soft molasses in the background. The aftertaste is full of cola; it's a medium length finish.
Final Note: Another good single barrel from Kentucky Peerless - so far, each one that we've tried has carried a good level of flavor. This example did indeed lean into those cherry and cola notes as expected from the name, but we also found a strong banana fruit and oak theme in our tasting sessions. A pretty good amount of fruit overall, which is one of the things we like about Peerless bourbons, especially the single barrels.
The going price for these single barrel selections from Peerless is $120 or so before taxes or shipping, which is definitely a big ask for a bourbon that isn't age stated. That said, these do deliver great flavor consistently, so it could be worth a shot. If you ever visit the distillery and have a chance to try the single barrel first before buying it, that's a great way to ensure your money will be well spent.
Our Rating: 7.3 / 10
In the current whisky landscape of increasing prices and variable quality, we've added a value rating to our reviews that relates to the score and the available pricing of each whisky. This roughly equates to a 0-10 scale; no reviews so far have exceeded a score of 10, although it is technically possible for the formula to produce a value rating higher than 10 with a high enough score and low enough price.
Value Rating: 5.95
About Us: We're a husband and wife review team living in the Midwest United States. Generally, our reviews and tasting notes will be a compilation of both of our experiences with a whisky over several tasting sessions.
