Tastes

* Nose - Graham cracker, toasted marshmallow, autumn spice. * Taste - Very mellow opening with chocolate, oak, brown sugar, and that toasted marshmallow coming back again. Sweet cornbread pushes through later sips. * Finish - Short, satisfying finish. For as complex a sip as this is, it doesn’t linger in a positive or negative way. It hits you hard with tons of flavor and leaves you begging for another taste. * Value - This is such a delightful autumn pour. A twice-oaked offering from Woodford Reserve that I’d happily pay MSRP for to keep it regularly stocked on my shelf. (MSRP $60)

* Nose - Strong ethanol that simply won’t get out of the way. As I move it around and nose it more, I get flowery fruit. Smells like a spring garden, but it’s very faint and the burn does really linger. Light hint of chocolate in there too. * Taste - Big burn on the entry, but getting a lot of complex flavor afterward. I’m tasting graham cracker, banana bread, oak, and apricot. * Finish - Very, very long finish. One of the longest I’ve had in a bourbon, honestly. The flavor lingers and changes subtly. The fruit actually sticks around longer than anything else for me. * Value: Limited edition bourbons are worth more than their weight in today’s market. This is very fairly priced for a unique, limited run dram from Maker’s. That said, I’m not sure this is my cup of tea for a bougier bourbon. I’d sooner seek out Rare Breed or WRDO. (MSRP $60)

* Nose - Sweet cherry cola, light brown sugar. Christmas spice, cinnamon, molasses. * Taste - Sweeter cherry notes than 1910, some brown sugar and vanilla in there. Subtle sweetness (but not saccharine) but just enough bite on it to mix very, very nicely. * Finish - Short little finish, but pleasant. Not too much burn behind it. * Value - Great everyday sipper for anyone who digs the cherry notes of OF. Not as smooth as a BT, but great mix of sweet and bite. (MSRP $26)

Vanilla, corn, and a little brown sugar on the nose. Smooth first sip. I’m getting sweet corn syrup, oak, and a little vanilla. So smooth and tasty. A little bit of light chocolate and spice on the finish. Really, really, really good.

Corn and slight ethanol on the nose. Burn on the first sip that fades fast, but later sips are smooth as silk and has dark chocolate and coffee notes. Little bit of fruitiness and the slightest floral taste. So. Freaking. Good.

Caramel and toffee on the nose. Heavy oakiness on the palate with some s’mores and more bitter toffee. Really good as you get further into it.