Tastes

Drank this neat, per the usual... On the nose: Butterscotch, orange zest, and oak. Tastes: Smooth, caramel notes, dark cherry (likely from the sherry staves), baking chocolate, long finish, minimal burn which is expected at 90 proof. Overall: A really solid find! I'd definitely buy again and at the price point I wouldn't be mad about mixing in an old fashion (if that's your thing). There are layers of flavor here that will keep you wanting to taste more. Buy it if you can find it!

Another amazing expression from Willett distillery! On the nose is tobacco and oak, with very slight hints of spearmint and smoke/barrel char. Taste is outstanding: layers and layers of molasses, vanilla, creme brule, and toasted caramel (slight coconut?) that is full bodied and long finishing. Pure Kentucky is hard to find but buy it when you see it and hopefully it's at a great price when you do! Just visit the Willett distillery (where I bought this bottle) and buy a few. A really, really tasty bourbon that can be enjoyed as a digestif/dessert all on its own. 🙂

If you've read some of my posts before, you realize I mostly drink things neat and, with bourbon/whiskey, always try a standard ice cube per shot and a half to taste the differences: THIS bourbon, add a cube! SUCH A REMARKABLE flavor profile change with a bit of ice/water! On the nose: Some astringent, charcoal, woody, and light black pepper. Taste: full of flavor, dark chocolate covered cherries, molasses, longer maple syrup finish. Very, very delicious with one cube: 3.5 - 4 stars. Without a cube? Lives up to its namesake: 2 stars! Ha! Add a cube, you won't be disappointed. 😀

On the nose, very complex: cherry, sherry, floral, melon and maybe a slight hint of bubble gum. Tastes with layers of honey, nutmeg, and cinnamon, with the finishes of additional cinnamon (think red hots candy) and pepper, with a slight enjoyable burn. Medium bodied bourbon with a lingering, sweetish, finish on the palate. Really good bourbon for a cold winter.

On the nose are dominant notes of charcoal from the filtering, almost salty bacon, with a slight sweetish brown sugar. Taste is smooth, continued notes of brown sugar, honey, and cinnamon, with a slight spearmint medium finish. This is a tasty, solid bourbon expression. Drank this neat (as usual) and would think that adding a drop or two of water would potentially layer out more sweetness (likely caramel and molasses) but remove the spearmint finish, which would be unfortunate. Very good neat but would make a good old fashioned.

Drank this neat (as usual). On the nose Old Bardstown has some mint, honey, and maybe some cinnamon. Taste is cinnamon heavy (think red hot candy!), secondary layers of honey and orange zest, a little baking chocolate, with a medium to long finish, small but delightful burn on the very end. I'm impressed by this hard to find bourbon. It's got a lot of complexity but that's probably accurate for 2020! 🤣🤷🏻‍♂️ Drink this on a colder evening! May try and add a few drops of water later to see what happens (would think the secondary flavors would blossom: caramel or molasses may make an appearance), but all in all a solid overall buy. Not disappointed. 😊

Aww nuts...no, seriously nutty taste! 😄 Pretty balanced on the nose, slight spearmint and anise. Taste is overwhelmingly nutty: almonds, peanuts, walnuts, some buttered popcorn. Finishes smooth, does not linger, with a very slight pepper on the back end. Overall, for a 1.75 L at the cost, and 80 proof, this is solid buy. Not the best I've ever had but certainly not the worst! Would buy again if more readily available in my area.