Tastes

Color: Golden Amber Nose: Vanilla | Caramel | Light Oak Very characteristic bourbon nose. Inviting with minimal ethanol for the proof. Nothing stands out. Palate: Medium mouth feel. The nose continues into the initial sip with vanilla and caramel mingling with rye spices. A little more oak here than noted on the nose. Finish: Nice smooth finish with rye spice and increasing but not overpowering oak. A slight sweetness remains.

Color: Amber / Yellow Gold Nose: Caramel | Vanilla | Molasses | French Oak Classic bourbon notes with slight heat. Very welcoming. Palate: Light mouthfeel. A burn out of the gate that dissipates and quickly evolves into notes very similar to the nose. Finish: Long, mouth-watering finish. As the heat continues to vanish through the finish you a left with a wonderful and rememberable flavor with vanilla and caramel with hints of oak.

Color: Chestnut / Burnt Amber Nose: Orange | Rye Spice | Anise Minimal heat. Very pleasant, inviting nose with subtle rye spice. Unmistakable anise scent. Palate: Medium mouthfeel. Notes of orange, vanilla, and caramel with no heat. Very well rounded. Finish: Slow build of heat over time but not unpleasant. The rye spices on the nose finally come through on the finish. A slight sweetness presents with hints of orange that linger.

Color: Golden amber / Slightly orange Nose: Orange | Rock Candy | Honey | Angostura bitters Honestly, it does a good job mimicking the aromas of a classic old fashion. Slightly more orange than I am used to but overall a good representation of the classic cocktail. Palate: Syrupy mouthfeel with an accompanied medicinal cough syrup note on the initial sip. Orange, citrus, lemon, rock candy, and slight rye spices. Overall similar to an Old Fashioned but artificially sweet. Finish: The sweetness outpaces the rye spice in the finish with notes of tangerine. No heat and not very lingering.

Color: Tawny / Chestnut Nose: Baking Spice | Bananas | Caramel Very pleasant nose that is inviting. The baking spices surprised me and are very apparent from the get go. Palate: Light mouth feel. Little to no heat. The baking spices from the nose come through into the palate and are accompanied by lesser notes of oak, citrus, and strawberries. Finish: Heat builds as the palate lingers but pleasantly so. The baking spices continue and are met with more of a rye spice profile in the finish. Satisfyingly long with a touch of sweetness.

Color: Amber / Copper Nose: Oak | Vanilla | Caramel Very traditional bourbon nose. The alcohol hits you right away but doesn’t overwhelm the other aromas. Palate: Medium mouthfeel. The alcohol burn from the nose hits immediately but quickly dissipates and mellows. Caramel and brown sugar predominate with more subtle hints of vanilla, oak, and baking spices. Finish: Alcohol is still present throughout the finish but not unpleasant. The palate is muted but the notes of caramel and vanilla remain. The oak is not as present as expected for the 10-year age statement.

Color: Tawny / Auburn Nose: Vanilla | Oak | Pear | Grain Wonderfully inviting nose. No burn but hard to decipher what to expect on the palate. Palate: Light mouthfeel. A very slow start that develops over time. Little to no heat. Notes of vanilla, caramel, and toffee with hints of marshmallow and white pepper. Finish: A build to the burn in the finish but overall the finish is short and slightly sweet. Very well balanced but not overly complex or lingering.

Color: Light Auburn Nose: Vanilla | Caramel | Oak | Butterscotch Very inviting nose with classic bourbon notes. A slightly sweet aroma that is hard to pin down but decided on butterscotch. Palate: Light mouthfeel. The palate is slow to develop with nothing to note upfront. Eventually, oak and baking spices come through accompanied by a mildly increasing heat. Not overpowering at all. Finish: Very smooth, medium-lasting finish with little to no heat, not unexpected with this proof. The sweetness noted on the nose comes through at the end with hints of vanilla bean, butterscotch, and cherry.

Color: Chesnut / Tawny Nose: Maple Syrup | Brown Sugar | Orange Zest | Caramel Wonderfully aromatic and inviting. Evolves over time but has notable maple syrup notes. Palate: Light to medium mouthfeel. The palate is very different from the nose. The brown sugar, syrup sweetness noted on the nose does not come through. Somewhat muted palate with slight notes of baking spices and oak. Heat slowly develops and leaves quickly. Finish: Heat dissipates quickly along with the notes on the palate. Nothing bad here but also not very memorable.

Color: Gold / Amber Nose: Vanilla | Slighty Floral | Herbal Mild for rye especially after recently reviewing the Willet 4 year rye. Very pleasant nose but subdued. Palate: Light mouthfeel. Like the nose, the palate seems somewhat subdued. The typical rye spice is present but not overwhelming. Still hints of vanilla but you have to really search for it. Finish: Short finish. Almost zero heat. Incredibly easy to drink without being blasted by spice. Not much stands out here otherwise.