Tastes

Nose: Sugary chocolate transitioning to leather and tobacco Palate: the heat on this 132 proofer is up front - once you get past that almost a peppery profile but otherwise not a lot of complexity Finish: very long finish which is sweeter than the palate This pour came in a little below my expectations. The basics are there, but just not enough complexity to match other top notch barrel proof offerings.

Nose: Nice mix of maple and more common spice notes Palate: sweet sugary notes from the get go with just a hint of baking spices coming through Finish: looong finish…. This is where the finishing really comes through and you get the full maple syrup experience This pour exceeded my expectations. Hard to improve upon some of Starlight’s standard offerings, but this finish hits just the right blend of sugar and spice

Nose: very fruit-forward notes transitioning to strong vanilla and then oak at the end - a very distinctive and strong nose Palate: vanilla bomb, smoother than one would expect from 109 proof Finish: thinner than expected mouthfeel - short but full-bodied finish with vanilla carrying through Another enjoyable edition of the wood finishing series, notably sweeter than the 2020 and first 2021 expressions

Nose: slight hit of cinnamon spice quickly and more strongly transitioning to anise, much like OGD 114 Palate: sweeter notes than the nose would suggest, caramel followed by vanilla - very light mouthfeel Finish: light, short finish with a bit of a funky aftertaste Not a terrible pour, but there are definitely better bourbons at this price point

Nose: toasted sugar bomb, s’mores in a glass Palate: heavy vanilla transitioning into buttery toffee, rich and creamy mouthfeel Finish: long finish with toasted and buttery notes coming through This is a dessert bourbon if there ever was one. Definitely recommend.

Nose: light on the nose with saccharine sweet cola notes Palate: thinner mouthfeel given the proof — mostly vanilla coming through Finish: light, very sweet finish of medium length Light and low-complexity as expected, but a very drinkable sub-90 proof option. An excellent introduction for new bourbon drinkers.

Nose: brown sugar bomb with some very slight floral tones at the beginning Palate: sugary heat, not very complex - a sweeter, but lesser version of OF 1920 with a similar overall profile Finish: short finish, some odd astringency on the back end Stagg jr. jr? No. The best Benchmark offering I’ve had? Yes. You’ll be hard pressed to find a more drinkable 125 proofer elsewhere for this price point.

Nose: not surprisingly for such a young expression, mostly ethanol. Hints of cinnamon and nutmeg which expand Palate: cinnamon forward, with spice turning quickly to sweeter notes Finish: very “smooth” - quite a short finish with sugary, caramel notes predominately Not a bad pour at all for 2-year old, sub-$30 bourbon, this is my first and only West Fork taste thus far, and it’s good enough for me to see what else they have to offer

Palate: the basic profile reminds me of Willett 4 year rye (one of my favorites), but it’s a lesser version in all aspects. The lower proof takes away some of the strong flourishes that is present in the Willett expression. This rye is also slightly sweeter. Finish: fairly short, uneven finish — brown sugar notes are most prominent, neutralizing what little rye spice is comes through Not a bad pour for a ~$30 bottle, but there are more flavorful ryes out there that cost only slightly more.