Tastes

Heavy tannins and full vanilla notes kick things off. Followed closely by cinnamon sticks, licorice and cherry cola (prominent cherry). Kicks you in the mouth but mellows out beautifully. Rounds out with a molasses tail, more subtle notes of tannins/baking spices, and a savory buttered popcorn undertone. Pretty much exactly what I’m looking for in a good bourbon.

Starts earthy and tart with natural cherries and grass. Transitions sweet into maraschino cherries, whipped cream and vanilla. Ends dry with oak, leather and cedar. Undertone of cinnamon throughout which gives the palate a tingle. Elegant and smooth from start to finish. Really good stuff. One of my new go to’s.

I can see why they call it a summer rye. Light in nature making good on its ‘summer’ tag. Juicy grapes are front and center with some green apple underneath. Gives me vibes of sparkling grape juice from when I was a kid. White pepper cuts through this sweetness nicely reminding me it’s a rye. Some caramel and molasses show up as well. Finishes dry and earthy with some dill and oregano. Very enjoyable pour.

I’ll start by saying this is an excellent rye. Very herbaceous with notes of green pepper, dill, oregano, rosemary. This is nicely offset with sweet notes of caramel and vanilla. Little licorice in between. Ends with some sweet oak, cherry cola and lingering menthol heat that sits in your chest. Tows the line really well between sweet and earthy notes. Reminds me a lot of Willett 4 year. Based on my first pour of this stuff, I’d go Willett all day long given the availability and price difference between the two.

Proof shows out immediately with a sharp burn down the hatch. Underneath however you can find buttered biscuits, thick salted maple syrup, vanilla icing and hot cinnamon which overtake the palate. Mouthfeel is incredible. Really coats it with oil. Savory smoked bacon hits along the way. Reminds me of a country breakfast on a Sunday morning with a Cinnabon side. Finish is long with more spicy cinnamon, oak char, cherries and some peppermint. Fantastic bourbon and well worth the hunt.

Immediate but brief oak and white pepper kick giving that bourbon feel while showcasing the high rye bill. Turns creamy which reminds me of orange cream soda mixed with peach cream soda. Peaches carry on but turn sweet like peach rings candy. Ends hot in the chest with a candy corn sweetness. Through all of this, there is a slight woody and sweet cinnamon undertone. Really delightful. Nice balance between sweet and heat such as the small batch just with a different flavor profile. Gotta give the edge to the small batch given the 35-40% discount. Batch 69

Immediate white pepper but ultimately reminds me of a fall day. Apple pie a la mode with crystallized sugar and an ever so slight dusting of cinnamon on top. Apples are sweet yet savory as if buttered and pan fried. Nice coating of oil midway through. Tail end turns dry with more white pepper and oak tingling the palate whilst the apples never completely fade. Very good and will be enjoyed, but for the price I’ll stick to their Caribbean Cask version for 1/4 the cost.

Explosion of flavors to say the least. Immediate white pepper kick with some brief spicy oak. Quickly turns sweet into the mid palate. Candied caramel red apple, white chocolate, molasses, cotton candy, juicy plums, maraschino cherries, whipped cream. Finishes on the dry and hot side with a burnt sugar and marshmallow sweetness while slight dill, thyme, oregano and white pepper counteract the prior for a long pleasant finish. Very unique rye. This will be enjoyed thoroughly.

Really prominent peppered punch right out of the gate. However, there is a sweet undertone of vanilla while the pour is showcasing it’s cask strength. What shines brightest though is the cherrywood flavor which is present from start to finish. The cherry is semi-sweet and natural tasting which works really well alongside the cedar and leathery notes. Seems rather hard to find and rare to buy at MSRP. I was lucky enough to try from a buddies stash. From the pour I had, can’t say the price tag is justified when comparing some other options such as Willett 4 year, but it was a fine pour nonetheless.

Pretty light considering. Mint julep, green apple, dill, slight cinnamon. Not bad. Not great for the price point.