Tastes

The nose is berries and creme, maybe some butterscotch. Very well balanced. Palate follows with the berries and oak, with a spicy and floral finish. Cinnamon notes. The complexity and finish of this bourbon are top notch. By far, the king of Buffalo Trace's mashbill #2 in my opinion.

This is about as standard as you can get for bourbon. From the famous mashbill #2 line from Buffalo Trace, this is the least impressive. Does not even compare to Rock Hill Farms. The nose is typical, vanilla notes and maple. Palate continues with these notes and finishes lightly with some tobacco and oak. Finish lasts about 2 seconds and it's gone. Just not very complex at all.

I love bourbon, and this is the only time I have ever opened a bottle, smelled the pour, tasted the pour, and said, "that's the best bourbon I've ever had". From front to back, it delivers on all fronts. The nose is wonderful, vanilla, cherries, oak. The palate is solid, and the finish, oh man the finish. Its that wonderful, sweet oak with full body but not the ethanol burn. Even at the price point, this bourbon delivers fully.

The nose is very bland, a little hint of vanilla and tannin. Hint of vanilla gives way to an overwhelming taste of toffee and peanut butter. Not much mouthfeel at all. I'm just not really a fan.

Neat in a glencairn, barrel 5083177 from 9/2006. Bananas on the nose, vanilla and leather give way to citrus and floral tastes. Mouthfeel is moderate. Honestly, it's not overly complex and exciting. For the age and price, I think that it's a buy, but Weller SR and OWA take the cake as much better, cheaper wheated options.

Neat in a glencairn. Batch 19-08. Cinnamon on the nose, with heavy chocolate, dark fruits, and vanilla. The heat is there but not overwhelming. This is a fantastic bourbon. I was given a taste from a friend, bought my own bottle to reassure this was the real deal. It will be a necessity in my collection.