Tastes

Dark copper in color, lots of medium speed legs that show up quickly. Nose shows a good bit of tart fruit, green apple and baking spices over the softer corn and barrel notes of vanilla and caramel. Soft on the palate, but it brings a bit of heat that compliments that tart fruit note on the nose. Short to medium finish that really brings out the barrel before yielding to a syrupy sweetness. Corn flakes, candy corn and Brach's caramels come to mind. This is middle of the road in most every way. Somewhat rough around the edges, but has a nice backbone.

Dark amber, really sticky. A few legs... Wheat jumps out on the nose. Creme brulee, fig preserves, a bit of spice that I thought would have come from rye (but clearly can't) A faint cardboard note that isn't unpleasant... Just noteworthy. Opens with a balanced sweetness and rolls out with everything you'd want in a wheater. There's an interesting fruity note that I can't explain, but is incredible. Somewhere between stone fruit and pear. No shortage of vanilla... It's easy to get why it's proofed down, as I'd imagine it would just be too much if offered at a higher proof... No water needed, this is incredibly well balanced and has as finish as long as anything I've ever tried.

Absolutely hangs on the glass. Nose is ripe fruit: Prunes, raisins, and then cacao, leather and tobacco and vanilla frosting. A bit hot up front, but when it passes it unfolds and rolls out with everything on the nose, plus caramel and burnt sugar. It takes 3-5 minutes to roll out. It's incredible. I can't say exactly why I'm so impressed, but this really changed my perception and resets my expectation for an incredible bourbon. The balance and nuance is only matched by a small handful of others I've been lucky enough to taste.

Upping this from 4.

Dark golden straw color, medium speed and volume of legs. Nose has a good bit of spice underlying vanilla, oak and a bit of barn funk. An herbal/minty note in there, too. A lot of flavor surprises unfold up front and over the long haul... Initially a bit sweet but gives way almost immediately to a dry woodiness, spice and a rich fruity character and salted caramel. The finish is long, and interesting, with the barrel and salted caramel sticking around the longest. The honey really does come through, as well.

Dark golden/light copper color. Very few legs, with a nice ring of beads. Nose is interesting. The barrel seems to be the big player, but plenty of corn is there, as well as hints of caramel and milk chocolate. Front is sweet, and immediately shows barrel Mid palate, and the beginning of the finish is kinda strange... An herbal/grassy note and somewhat bitter. Exits with a more pleasant woodiness and a hint of cacao and coconut. Since there's no age statement, I'm going to assume it's pretty young... and that is my overall take on it. It's pretty young. It's got some rough edges, and it lacks balance. All the right stuff is there though, and I expect that there will be some impressive stuff coming out of this distillery on the horizon

Upped to 3.75 to reflect incredible value. Brought down my my buddy in WI. Bright straw/brass color. Sticky on the glass, with slowly emerging legs. Nose is caramel, peanut, and a notable rye spice. A hint of green apple, honey or golden raisin in there, too. Tart and warm up front, with a fruity note, followed by a sticky caramel sweet mid palate and finish. Heat and spice warm the mouth and throat, but not so much as to hit the chest. There's vanilla and barrel char, and that's nice. Tails off triggering memories of an old barn. Well balanced and easy sipping... nothing special. An absolutely outstanding value.

Dark copper color with Amber hue. A good amount sticks to the glass, but there are lots of legs. Nose is vanilla, coconut and caramel. Honestly, about what I'd expect out of a 13 year old Tennessee whiskey. It's big, sweet and delicious. Plenty of barrel char shows up all the way through, and balances the sweetness that exists throughout. Medium long finish leaving notes of cacao, dark caramel, leather, and perhaps a hint of cherry. This is excellent. I'm glad that I can find it. At $45 a bottle, it can stand with most things available for that price, these days. Honestly, it's a decent substitute for Eagle Rare in the events that I'm unable to find any

Dark gold with a hint of copper. The legs are extremely slow to show up and run nearly as slow. Nose is caramel, chocolate, vanilla, plenty of baking spices and a hint of tart fruit. Good size mouthfeel and really rolls out slowly. Rich, creamy, cacao finish comes after clove, cinnamon, brown sugar and a bit of pecan. My favorite part about this is that it's widely available and reasonably priced. It's supremely drinkable at 120 proof and has plenty to appreciate. I'm keeping this one on the shelf until the crowd catches on. I'd say this is probably a 3.75, but it gets a 4.0 because it's available and reasonably priced!

Golden straw in color. Someone sticky with few but fast running legs. Rice spices are immediately noted on the nose, but there's more there. Sawdust, caramel, a hint of banana and some vanilla. There's a distinct fruity or floral note, almost grassy. Soft on the mouth, with a short, sweet note transitioning immediately into a dry woodiness that then gives way to more vanilla and sweetness. Mid palate to finish has plenty of baking spices It has that distinctive peanut shell or peanutty character that all the Jim beam products have. It's not something I'd buy again for $50, but I am satisfied with having got one and will revisit. It's more interesting than me the regular BH