Tastes

First time trying this bottle Nose - vanilla explosion! Super complex nose with a lot going on. Nutmeg and spices round out an excellent nose with some cherries and sugar. For a 124 proof bourbon I didn’t catch hardly any ethanol burn. Taste - very full and rich to the tongue. Vanilla leads the way with other spices. Amazingly smooth. Vanilla keeps rolling on my tongue and leads way to a cherry flavor and light pepper taste. Vanilla stays on the tongue with light burn on a long finish. This is how bourbon should taste. Overall and value- I am so glad this bottle lived up to the hype. Vanilla lovers should be on the lookout for this 2018 release. I hate that a bottle this good is so hard to find or so expensive. This bottle is easily in my top 3.

First time trying Nose - cinnamon and oak is about all I get to the nose with a light ethanol burn Taste - full and heavy, I get some caramel, leather, oak, and pepper at the end. The finish is rather hot with pepper. Overall and value - 100 proof bourbon around 30 for a bottle. Not very complex. A bit spicy for my personal liking. Not a bottle I would want to keep in my collection.

First time trying this. Heard a lot of mixed reviews. Nose - caramel, licorice, oak, leather Taste - floral, licorice, and caramel lead the way then end in a pepper and leather medium finish. I get some bitterness which I really don’t like but everything else on the palate isn’t bad. Overall value This is not an easy bottle for me to find. May be for some but I have not seen it in months which makes me wonder why. This is a unique bourbon, but I’m not sure it’s a good thing in this case. Found for $40. Very cool bottle and holds the willet brand name. Cool bottle but nothing special

Been a while since I visited this bottle Nose - sugar, nuts, and fruits with some cherries Taste - fruit and nuttiness right at the start and mellow out to a sweet end. Light pepper at the finish and rounds out with leather. Enjoying the taste of this one much more the 2nd go round Overall and value - This is my second time reviewing this bourbon and must say it’s more complex and better this time. It’s a cool bottle and story behind the label. The bourbon has a good flavor and unique nose. Solid choice for 35-40$ range. Glad I revisited this one.

Oak vanilla and some light heat possibly from a cinnamon on the nose Vanilla, honey to the taste and ends in a lightly spicy cinnamon taste with a light burn to the tongue on the long finish. 3rd time review for this bourbon.

Second time having this neat. Nose - nice sweet and fruity. I get a hint of wheat and honey as well. Taste - sweet and light start. Get a lot of vanilla up front. Then a bunch of other flavors emerge. The wheat, honey and fruitiness come to the palate and then a slight heat finish. The dried fruit and sweetness come back after the heat settles. Very good taste. Overall and value - being this is my first bottle from the van winkle and pappy creators, I expected this to be stellar, and it is. However, I think there are other bourbons out there right now in the $50 range that can be competitive with this one. The rareness is a cool plus factor and the bottle label has some style points. If you can get this bottle for retail 60-100 range then go for it. Personally I do not believe this is a bottle that should ever be over 200. Great rare bottle, great pour and style points for the label and marketing. The price tag and availability are the problems here. Nevertheless it’s still a great bourbon. Lucky enough to get this bottle for $75 and happy with that price point.

First time trying this one. nose - zero aroma of alcohol in this one which may have something to do with the low proof. I get honey, vanilla, and some chocolate. All very sweet notes. Smells quite good taste - very light on the tongue. A bit bland to me at the start but as it sets on the tongue and goes down you notice some smooth sweet flavors of chocolate and honey come to play and ends with a bit of pepper and fruitiness. overall and value - off and on availability in my area. Found from 40 - 50$. In my opinion, this is a good complex bourbon but doesn't drink like a $50 bottle. The nose is nice a sweet as is the taste. Not as good as some of the other bourbon's I have had from Michters, but still good.

One of my first times trying this one neat. Usually get on the rocks. Nose - honey, leather and sweet with a slight bitterness. Taste - sweet and honey start and the honey keeps on through most of the drink. Crisp and dry at the end with a nutty taste. Ever so slight heat towards the end. Overall and value - this is another one of those weird availability bourbons. Retail price is supposed to be under $30, however availability and secondary prices sometimes drive this one way up. I wish this was easier to find in my area as it is such a great drinker. For this bourbon to be the beginner of their series, I look forward to trying what else the Weller series has to offer

First time having this one. Enjoying neat Nose - vanilla and sweet notes with a very light alcohol smell. Pretty typical nose to most bourbons Taste - light and oily on the tongue. Vanilla and sweet to start like a lot of bourbons usually are. I also get a light nutty taste and an oak flavor that blends nicely with the vanilla and sweet taste. A little bit of spice at the end but not overbearing. Overall and value - this has been a bottle I have really wanted to purchase and finally found one for the right price. The nose is typical of bourbon and nothing fancy, the taste is complex and really good. Pricing and availability are my issue with this one. Seen from $35-$89 and rather hard to find. If you are able to grab this one for around 50 or under I recommend it. Great add to any collection and makes a great neat pour.

2nd time reviewing this one. Enjoying neat. Nose - cherries is the first thing that comes to mind. Sweet cherries with a vanilla backend and some light cinnamon Taste - sweet and smooth to start and a very light burn to finish. Vanilla with a slight charred oak. Some may say this has an odd aftertaste but personally I like it. Overall and value - 10 year bourbon made from master distiller Eddie Russell and readily available around 30-50$. Definitely some value in this bottle under 50$ and even better when found on sale. It’s a good tasting bourbon with a great nose. Overall it’s a must buy