Tastes

Nose: cinnamon, oaky char, and faint vanilla Palate: vanilla and candied fruits Finish: medium-long finish and the hug you’d expect from a 117 proofer Not terrible, not outstanding…. this bourbon has some unique notes but not enough to outshine other barrel strength offerings in the same price range

Nose: toffee notes with a hint of dark fruits coming through and the heavy caramel Palate: starting off with Carmel transitioning to molasses notes Finish: definitely smoother than a typical ~115 proofer, short-medium nutty finish Mostly a very typical Willett profile only less herbal and slightly sweeter. Not terrible, but a lot of better options out there in the $50-$60 range in my opinion.

Nose: caramel and hazelnut tones with anise on the back end Palate: chocolate followed a brief hint of dark fruits before transitioning to strong citrus notes Finish: short, bursting finish with citrus carrying through Very unique profile, especially for a four year old expression. Simply put, it’s the most complex non-barrel proof bourbon I’ve ever sipped. Highly recommend, especially at such a low price point.

Nose: caramel bomb on the nose quickly transitioning to more herbal tones Palate: mainly herbal notes with slight clove and cinnamon at the end — thin mouthfeel Finish: long, long finish with sweeter tones coming through - heavier bite than any other 90 proof I’ve had Somewhat disappointed in this one as the limited availability has led to perhaps an outsized amount of hype. Not terrible but there are other budget bourbons which I would certainly rank above this one.

Nose: oddly enough, mint to start before moving to heavy brown sugar and then candy/licorice. Transitions to herbal notes. Interesting profile Palate: sugary saccharine smoothness on the palate, not a lot of complexity here Finish: an ever so slight Kentucky hug ends the experience with the sweetness carrying thru the medium-length finish For the price, can’t go wrong with this one. Will be looking for another bottle.

Nose: typical herbal notes followed by heavy leather as the scotch comes through Palate: certainly pick up on the scotch and bourbon components, not so much in the rye - there is a medicinal taste that comes through Finish: long lingering finish which is sweeter as it carries through Maybe if you like scotch it kinda works, but there just isn’t enough there for me, especially when you consider the ~$70 price tag

Nose: dark fruits predominately Palate: oak with slight tobacco and peppermint notes Finish: exceptionally smooth finish, fairly short This is my first foray into the Smoke Wagon line. I have to say the hype is justified given the strength of this entry-level offering — it sets the bar high for the higher-priced ones I’ve yet to try. Well worth it at its MSRP.

Nose: Vanilla Coke bomb with some slight Clove notes at the end Palate: sweet vanilla notes with candy corn tones at the end Finish: medium finish, “smoothest” 110+ proofer I’ve ever tasted This is a unique bourbon — not at all what I was expecting from a budget high proofer. Definitely recommend, especially at its price point

Nose: classic wheated tones followed by a hint of floral and oddly enough… chocolate Palate: typical wheat followed by caramel Finish: strong Kentucky hug with caramel corn closing out the medium finish This is a Lux Row Visitors Center Pick (#5). It is solid and hits the notes you expect it to hit. Like it better than the 10 year Rebel single barrel, even though it’s half the age. The proof point on this one at 113 accentuates the strengths of this particular offering.

Nose: Starts off with Caramel and then a little cinnamon - big brown sugar notes at the end Palate: Sweet sugary notes followed by hints of oak Finish: Short to medium finish - slightly less heat than you would expect from a 114 proof An excellent pour with enough complexity to keep it enjoyable all the way through. Looking forward to trying some of the other Starlight offerings.