Tastes

375ml bottle pour neat, in Matt's Jeep on the way to and from Ocelot 4th anniversary party on 4/20/19. Plastic beer tasting vessel. Tasting impression is from the trip out, as I cannot recall the trip back. Vanilla and oak, with sweet honey. Very smooth, with a bit more character than regular Maker's. Like. Quite a lot, actually.

Bottle pour neat into tasting goblet. Lite wood, hints of citrus fruit, mild vanilla. Sweet, very mild, smooth and drinkable. Nice value for a good wheater. 5/25/19

Small goblet, neat, at home. Sweet nose, some vanilla and wood chips. Very sweet and smooth, very drinkable. No wow factor, but solid. 5/25/19

Bottle purchased at Hillsboro ABC (on sale!) for Matt the Lion's SMUG NOVA tasting event in late Fall 2016. Beautiful nose of dark fruit, vanilla, lite spices. Very rich and smooth on the palate, lingers forever. Fantastic.

Bottle pour shared at Partisan DC on April 1, 2019, with Randy and Jason Brater. Neat in tasting glass. Wow, this is huge. Initial whack of the alcohol heat is quickly overcome with loads of flavors, with pepper, vanilla, caramel, oak, leather. So much going on here. Love this.

Fall 2018 bottle from Delaware liquor store on way to Jordan's bungalow in Greenport, NY for Vandy Law 2000 mini-reunion on April 26, 2019. Drank two small pours of VOB 86 on arrival, then opened the Stagg Jr. 2 oz pour, neat. Definite heat and spice, particularly after the VOB, but not nearly as much as anticipated. Surprisingly drinkable, with some notes of butterscotch and leather. Definite must try.