Tastes

Dark gold, super sticky... Plenty of barrel and grain on the nose, hints of dry barnyard, mint, eucalyptus and burnt caramel. Soft, well rounded front with heat on the palate. Plenty of coconut and caramel.... Christmas cookies... Creamed corn, oak and some herbs hang around the end, along with hints of sweet leaf tobacco. Leaning sweet, it is still well balanced, complex and memorable.

They definitely achieved what they appear to be after... A more complex flavor profile that includes more chocolate and vanilla. This one is my favorite of the Maker's family, but I've yet to try many of the barrel select that are out there at $69.99. Familiar reddish copper. Nice sticky legs. Nose is caramel, butter, a grassy note and plenty of oak. Sweet, warm front the wheat comes through all the way. Some light spicy notes mid palate and a residual warmth come through the sweet milk chocolate dominated finish

Barrel number 7167088 selected by VA ABC. Pale golden straw color some stickiness to the legs Alcohol immediately apparent on the nose, with some toasty grain notes, eucalyptus and dry oak. Hot on the palate, with spice, dried herbs (rosemary?) and peanut brittle. Between the front and finish a little bit of peanut butter toast. Finishes dry with some caramel, peanut and more dry oak. Pretty underwhelming to be honest, for 37 bucks I can do a heck of a lot better.

Nose is caramel, rye, ripe fruits, dates and raisins. Undertones of vanilla and barrel char. Complex from start to finish... Sweetness prevails, with leather, cigar boxes and some cacao. Cognac hints through on the finish. Lots of barrel on the long warm finish. This is deeply complex. I do like what the cognac barrels do to a big bourbon like this.

A hot version of Maker's . Wheat jumps out on the nose, among spice, vanilla and mint... Some barrel char coming through as well. Spicy front: eucalyptus and rosemary give way to softer caramel and wood finish. Some sweetness sticks around, cinnamon, dry oak, vanilla and light caramel round it out. It's good, but not my favorite expression of bourbon. Can't hold that against the product... I'm sure this might be closer to a 4/5 in some folks books

Well, not sure what else you could ask for out of a summer drinking bourbon. Deep Auburn color. Really hangs on the glass. Nose reveals a wonderful balance between the spicy rye notes and the barrel. Chocolate, caramel and vanilla all come through the nutmeg and clove. Mustiness from the rye hiding in there too. Spicy front, with plenty of heat gives way quickly to a vanilla frosted sugar cookie. Finishes with more spice, a hint of eucalyptus/mint, burnt caramel and cloves. This is the most wonderfully balanced bourbon I can remember consuming. It's like Thanksgiving dinner with Christmas cookies as the middle course. I am lucky and grateful to have gotten a bottle, and can confirm that if you're a bourbon lover, do not sell it.

8.10.20 Single barrel select for the state of Virginia. Light amber, beautiful sticky legs Nose dominated by barrel and corn with a bit of rye spice. Ripe fruits, raisins and cacao and a bit of barn funk. Sweet, rich and warm. Shows some spice after chocolate and black cherry. Deep and dark: leather, chocolate, prunes, toffee and dark caramel. This is excellent

This has been my favorite generally available bourbon for at least last year, and on and off over the last several. Funny that I just recognized I don't have a formal rating on it 8.9.2020 Dark gold/amber with widely spaced legs. Nose dominated by the barrel char, chocolate covered dark cherries, vanilla and a bit of hidden spice. Front shows more vanilla, char chocolate. Mid palate hit with spice, but transitions back to sweet quickly Black cherry and Barrell char are the big players on the finish. There's a reason this is one of my favorites. Or lots of them...

Nose is consistent with the Elijah Craig family: spices, dry oak boards, light caramel, vanilla, and a hint of rye mustiness. Soft, but quite warming... clears the palate quickly leaving lots to interpret. Vanilla comes through in waves, from the front all the way to the very end. Toasted coconut and a bit of black cherry finish, along with winter spices. This is really an awesome offering, and definitely stands apart from the Elijah Craig small batch with a significant improvement on the complexity and layer of flavor.

Revisited 11.7.21 The thing about this bourbon that makes it so awesome is that it's ALL there... The nose has distinct layers coming from the mash bill, most notably the baking spices from the rye, vanilla and coconut from the wood. The sweetness that's all over the front (think sugar cookies) is bound perfectly by the spiciness and char from the barrel. It all rolls out smoothly and slowly for something truly special. I think, if I had one bourbon to pour for someone who wanted to experience bourbon in one pour, this would be it. Maple amber and hangs tight to the glass. Nose: rye noted, with spices, dried cherries and leather. Soft mouthfeel shows vanilla on the front and the big, warm palate moves on to coconut, black cherry, cinnamon and the slightest hint of mint and cacao. Barrel comes through on the finish with both warming char notes and dry oak logs as the vanilla and cacao hang on