Tastes

Good lord, that nose. Explosively sweet, rich and complex. Molasses. Plump, sugared cherries. Apricot top notes. A vanilla bean dipped in double cream. A pungent, nose-tingling alcohol. A historically beautiful, evocative scent. The tongue and finish are stupendous, but can’t quite get meet the unfair expectations of the nose. A big hit of sweet spice, then a damp timber hut deep in a lush, green valley.

The rare (for me) bourbon that is better on the tongue than the nose. A surprisingly soft, gentle scent of cherry vanilla and wood varnish. But once at the lips, the hefty ABV delivers a sweet, potent, peppery, moist oak candy. Spice comes in late, and leaves quickly. Remarkably well balanced. I don’t think many bourbons benefit from a few drops of water. But this does.