Tastes

Nose: Vanilla and caramel bomb with hints of ethanol and oak. The ethanol wanes after a couple minutes as the vanilla, caramel (Werthers hard candy), and oak grow ever stronger. With more time apricots dominate the foreground along with a bouquet of other dried fruits. Palate: Oak, cinnamon, caramel and vanilla explode on the palate. Much more spice and oak than the nose gave off. Finish: The finish is long and turns somewhat dry and bitter. I like it, especially at its MSRP, but I’m not blown away. Definitely better than MM’s normal offering but I’m glad I didn’t have to try very hard to snag a bottle. Edit 08/21/2023: I just recently came back to this bottle and have to up my score from 3.5 to 4.0. Upon returning I was met with one of the most pleasant aromas of burnt caramel I’ve ever experienced. Notes on the palate mirror this alluring smell. The notes described above are all still present, but theres now this very dominant burnt caramel that I have fallen in love with. If you’re like me and was underwhelmed at first, let your bottle sit for a month and come back to it - you won’t be sorry.

Was not a huge fan of this when I first cracked it, however after a couple of months this bottle is FANTASTIC. So rich and full bodied, every sip coats your tongue with caramel and vanilla. The sweetness is perfectly balanced out with notes of oak and pepper(?). Again, just fantastic. If you happen upon a bottle, please do yourself a favor and buy two. Everytime i enjoy a pour I kick myself for not grabbing a backup.

Nose: Surprisingly sweet with hints of pepper and ethanol. As it opens up, The sweetness expands to strong notes of fruits (cherries), vanilla, and almost freshly baked sweet rolls (akin to what I experienced with Bernheim). For a rye I am shocked I am getting this much sweetness. Palate: Exacrly like the nose. Sweet and spicy - cherries and fruits take the front stage but are pushed back by some rye spice. The sweetness creeps back in with vanilla and that sweet roll note and fights with the rye spice on a surprisingly long finish. As a pour - this is phenomenal - especially at its price point of 29.99. With that said, as a rye it falls very flat for me. It needs more spice to live up to the eyes of legend - like Heaven Hill’s Pikesville. All in all this is a bottle I will always have on my shelf and for good reason.

Fresh crack first pour Nose: Leather, dried fruits, and a modest amount of ethanol breach the nose as you take your first whiff. Letting it breathe mellows the ethanol and replaces it with sweeter notes - hints of caramel and dark chocolate along with the aforementioned leather and dried fruits (cherries?). Either way the aroma is more than pleasant and begs for you to take a sip. Palate: Smooth and sweet - the leather and dried fruits remain with added caramel and vanilla notes. I get hints of spice and oak as well - although it is almost immediately taken over by waves of sweetness. Much better than I was expecting as I have had people say they love it or hate it. This is a must have for anyone who wants just the right amount of sweet mixed with hints of spice, oak, and leather.

Fresh crack first pour Nose: Notes of cola and dark chocolate with hints of cherry and butterscotch. It’s a soft, incredibly pleasant aroma. After letting it sit about 20min it’s ah absolute chocolate bomb. Palate: Initially I get that cola and a little bit of cherry, however its short lived as an absolute explosion of chocolate coats your mouth - like you just took a bite of warm fudge. The chocolate flavors change, I got dark and milkier notes as it transforms into a medium and very pleasant finish. All in all this is a unique one for me that I enjoy quite a bit. I have never had such a chocolate forward bourbon. I feel as though I’m going to treat this as sort of a dessert bourbon, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Just goes to show you never pass up a SWMBH pick!

Nose: Soft; sweet, and a little bit of spice. I get apples and pears with vanilla and nutmeg. At one point I swear I got a giant whiff of peanuts. Palate: Much more bold than the nose would suggest. Sweet and spice come in waves - it’s like a flurry of flavors that unfortunately lead to a short finish. I get a strong oak, char, and baking spices flavor that give way to sweeter vanilla and dark caramel notes. Again, there’s a hint of some nuttiness- almost like dark chocolate covered peanuts? I like this. It’s not an incredibly special bourbon but it’s what I would expect from a booker’s batch.

Fresh crack - first pour Nose: Corn Flakes and freshly baked sweet bread. Hints of Vanilla seem to be wafting through as well. I’m not a huge fan of sweet things - but this is making me want to take a trip to the bakery. Palate: No surprises with this one - extremely sweet and wheaty. The finish is incredibly smooth with absolutely zero burn, and a lot longer than I would have thought. Nothing overly complex here - it’s a cheap Wheat Whiskey that delivers on everything you expected. This was recommnded to me as a “Weller Killer” and alrhough i cant say i agree - its not too far off. I’m hoping the BP offering adds some much needed depth.

Texas Mart 2023 Pick - Aged 9y bottled at 121.1 proof Fresh Crack First Pour Nose: There’s the classic vanilla and cinnamon spice notes however I can’t help but notice a less-than-subtle hint of mint. Letting it breathe really opens up the sweetness and adds a strong aroma of peanut brittle. Much more complex than the other private barrels I have sampled. Palate: As always with ECSP it starts with a blast of spice, however this time that peanut brittle can be found lingering in the explosion. A sort of earthy or herbal note can also be found. The finish is extremely long and nutty. This is by far the best ECSP I’ve ever had. Extremely happy I could snag a bottle and excited to come back to it after a few weeks and see if it’s gotten better.