Tastes

Nose: Peanuts, vanilla, maple syrup Palate: Vanilla up front transitioning into Finish: Medium finish with baking spices, peanuts, and a warm linger There’s a little sweet, a little spicy, overall a nice, simple, easy sipper. Reminiscent of Jack Daniel’s which is very appropriate if you are aware of the history of this brand.

From Boundary Oak Distillery, this bottle was originally purchased in 2020 and is a straight bourbon whiskey aged at least two years. It's offered at barrel proof, this one comes in at 118. Nose: Vanilla, sugar cookie, and spice Palate: Vanilla and some cereal at the start but a wall of fire and spice quickly rush in to remind you it is at 59% alcohol/volume. Finish: short to medium, a sweet and spicy finish that lingers on the tongue but doesn't stay too long some oak tannins come in with repeated sips. For two years old, this bourbon doesn't taste very young thanks to its barrel-proof strength. If you like stronger bourbons, this will be a serviceable sipper.

Nose: Banana bread Palate: Caramel but followed up quickly with that banana note again, a good general sweetness Finish: A pretty quick finish that disappears from the palate as quick as it arrived. Overall, a nice five-year with a sweet (but not too sweet) profile. There's nothing flawed about it but also there's nothing that stands out.

Nose: Smells younger with corn and grain notes Palate: Subtle typical notes of Carmel but spice comes in quick Finish: Spice and stone fruit, a quick finish Overall an ok sipper that shows a bit of it’s youth.

Nose: Corn, sweet spice, Palate: Sweet corn, with some vanilla, rye and spice come win quick, thin bodied Finish: a very short finish with heat but little else. Overall a low proof, starter Bourbon with hints of classic Bourbon profile on the palate but the nose and finish to me is a lot left to be desired with its simplicity.

Nose: Brown sugar and spices but in a soda kinda way like Dr. Pepper, a hint of apple. Palate: Caramel and toffee quickly followed with baking spices Finish: Medium with some spice cinnamon, and clove at the end that lingers on the tongue. Spicy and Sweet is indeed the bottom line here, the wood-stave finish and extra aging add a spicy kick to the approachable sweetness of regular Maker's Mark.

Nose: Sweet with traditional vanilla and caramel but also some apple, orange, and cinnamon. Palate: Vanilla sweetness, apple, Finish: Short finish with some more vanilla but some dark chocolate as well. This is my standard of what a wheated bourbon should be. It's also one of the most accessible bourbons with a lower proof and sweet profile. Not just an easy sipper but a very "crushable" pour.

Borough bourbon comes from Republic Restoratives Distillery located in Washington, DC. Borough is their flagship bourbon and is made from a mashbill of 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley. The straight bourbon whiskey is aged six years: five in American oak then finished one more year in Armagnac barrels. Nose: Warm apricots or peaches, toffee Palate: Baking spices followed with a creamy sweetness Finish: Short to medium, body is a bit thin Overall a serviceable high rye sipper but nothing to write home about in terms of complexity.

Nose: Wood, vanilla, carmel Palate: Spice, cinnamon, and corn that quickly gives way to sweet vanilla frosting midway. Finish: A medium finish with a lingering heat from that 100 proof. Lots of comparisons to another single barrel bourbon in the same distillery family A. Smith Bowman belongs to. I don't think the two compare- they are both fine sippers on their own accord. This one brings sweetness but has a good amount of spice as well.

Nose: Brown sugar, stone fruit Palate: Orange, butterscotch, vanilla, followed by baking spices Finish: Medium to short, the baking spices linger after with a good buttery mouthfeel Bomberger's Declaration is sweet enough to have as a digestif but strong enough to provide a nice complex flavor profile.