Tastes

Initial impressions, new bottle: The nose is signature ECPB - massive and heavy, with a dense ethanol fog that seems to hang over the glass. As it clears, all of the classic notes emerge - cinnamon bark, leather, and cherry cola. The palate is viscous and powerful, but not overwhelmed by spice or heat. Salted caramel, vanilla, and leather dominate, but the underlying hint of lavender keeps everything in balance. The cinnamon spice remains present throughout, but never overtakes the palate, and the extremely long finish stays completely in balance - the quintessential Kentucky hug. A few drops of water heightens the floral notes on both the nose and palate, highlighting a slightly bitter tannic note in the finish. An empty glass yields perhaps the greatest surprise - a complex perfume of hazelnut, confectioners sugar, roses, and nail polish. Sublime. This is extraordinary both with and without water. Even from a neck pour, this is an outstanding representation of this expression.

Impressions, newer bottle, no water added: Strong aromas of salted caramel, peanuts, Red Hots, and acetone on the nose, which carry through on the palate, with the Red Hot notes dominating the mid-palate and finish. The mouthfeel begins full and creamy, but quickly becomes prickly and spicy. It stops just short of becoming astringent, finishing on an oaky diet cola note. As expected, the finish is powerfully hot and long, but enjoyably so. The neck pours were a bit heavy on the peanut notes, but oxidation has brought the caramel and spice notes into better focus. It's a bit too savory for my tastes, but it's a very well-made and engaging dram. It takes water well, and becomes really approachable around a 1:6 ratio. Update: with 1/3 bottle remaining, the cherry cola flavors have really come into focus and the bourbon shows a nice balance of sweet and tart. This one really improves over time.

Of the two I've tried to date, this is absolutely my favorite. A stunning nose that presents a heady bouquet of charred oak, glazed salted caramel, salt, and faint hints of lavender. The palate largely follows the nose, though the bourbon really takes its time to expose each flavor. Salted caramel then vanilla, then oak, then anise and mint. Everything is unique, balanced, and engaging. The finish is long and inviting, with many of the flavors, particularly the oaky and floral ones, gently playing until the finish. It's hard to chase rare whiskies, when juice this good is so readily available.