Tastes

Neat. 129 proof neck pour. Buttered popcorn and tons of cherry on the nose. Lots of vanilla as well with a hint of oak. Nice thick, coating mouth feel. Getting this overwhelming sense of vanilla frosting. Wave after wave of vanilla frosting. Almost like Oreo filling even. An intense sweetness I wasn’t expecting. It’s easing its way into a cherry cola. Cherry and vanilla dance all over the legs. I’ve been impressed by this pour in the past. This batch is a bit different. Really good but also all over the place. I bet this batch is not as good as the other batches I have had.

Neat. Neck pour. Nose is light and bright. The age is only hinted at in the tail end of the nose. Caramel and butterscotch. Hint of spearmint. Hint of apple or even pear too. Oily feel despite the lower proof. Apple, sugar and cinnamon on the tongue. Vanilla flips to butterscotch on the taste with lingering oak and cherry. Vanilla and cherry lingers with a pronounced sweetness on the legs. I was expecting an experience close to Boone County 1833 but it is quite difference. The oak is turned down and the sweetness is amplified. Might be the sweetest bourbon I have had. It’s really delicious!

Neat. 11 year group pick. So great on the nose. Deep deep oak coupled with butterscotch and a cherry bomb. Hint of mint and vanilla. Just deep and rich with flavor. Thick and bright on the tongue. Maple syrup followed by butterscotch and chocolate. Lingering oak and vanilla. Second wave of legs brings back that cherry. Legs for miles with a nice slow hug. For a neck pour this is really getting me excited for what’s to come. It’s absolutely delicious and perfectly aged.

Neat. Wasn’t getting much off the nose, so I let sit with a challenge coin for 20 min. Nose really came alive. Really nice vanilla and caramels dancing around some light berries and cherries. Lots oak as you dig deep wrapped around everything else. It’s a light, bright, delicate nose. A bit thin in texture. Brown sugar on the tongue with that vanilla and berries. On the finish it’s all that oak, caramel and cherry. Cherry lingers for quite a while. Very delicate but enjoyable legs on this. It’s super smooth, delightful, with dessert flavors where it counts. Lacks any complexity and the thinness in texture is disappointing, but it’s still has a nice oil to coat the throat. The finish is the best part. Off memory, the finish elevates this about Weller 12.

Neat. Batch One. Vanilla and caramel for miles on the nose. Hint of oak and fresh grass and spearmint. Nice thick mouth feel. Lots of brown sugar and cinnamon up front. Then the vanilla and cinnamon linger to the end. It’s solid but I can’t help to think it would be amazing with a few more years.

Neat. Maple, vanilla, raisins, leather, and pepper on the nose. Very syrupy texture and super sweet on the tongue. Lots of vanilla and maple followed by even more vanilla. It’s delicious but simplistic.

Neat. Tons of vanilla and berries once you get beyond the oak. Hint of spearmint. Thin on the tongue, sugar and maple on the tongue. All vanilla and oak with a short finish. The legs are so tannic and even off putting. Blah. Nose is too notch. Rest of the experience is lacking and disappointing.

Neat. Neck pour. Nose is hot on approach. Let it open up for a bit. Nose gives tons of vanilla and butterscotch. Fresh grass and pepper on the back. Vanilla frosting as I spend time with it. Creamy texture, powdered sugar on the tongue. Gives way to more vanilla, hint of mint, hint of bubble gum. Slight slight hint of spice. Then decent legs of vanilla and that bubble gum. Pepper really gives a good burn the more I drink it. A few sips in gave me an intense Kentucky hug. It very enjoyable but the age definitely holds it back from being a special MGP. I prefer my Backbone Store Pick (4.5 years) over this.

Neat. Lucky’s pick. A really light, bright nose. Blast of vanilla. Waffer cookie. Hint of cherry. Oak wraps it all together. Alcohol subsided with 15 minutes opening it up. Hint of spearmint. Really really good nose. Thick mouth feel. Darker on the tongue. Oak and vanilla. Oh it’s good. It’s really good. Creme brûlée. Those vanilla and caramels with the oak. Hint of cherry. Legs linger and linger and linger. Crap. This is the best MGP I have had and I have had quite a few. Ah these legs are still going and it’s still delicious.

Neat. That is funky right off the bat. Tons of raisins, molasses, cinnamon, sugar cookie. Get some berries and cream as it opens up. Cream turns into a deep vanilla as I concentrate on it. This nose is journey and a very interesting one. Thick and oily on the tongue. Just an overwhelming amount of flavors. I think this may have more flavors immediately on the tongue than anything else I have tried. Vanilla. Cinnamon. Berries and cream. Oak is coming around too. On the finish the secondary aging goes nuts and lingers for miles. The finish is relentless. It leaves you with tons of oak at the end. If you go in thinking this is a bourbon, you will be off guard. This is an experience and the best Barrel Bourbon experience I have ever had. I could pick this apart for an hour. With that said, I don’t see myself reaching for it often. The flavors aren’t delicious per se, just overwhelming and interesting. It’s a hard one to grade.