Tastes

The nose of batch B517 immediately hits you with oak, rye spiciness, leather, soft pepper and a hint of chocolate, which all softens as it breathes. The palate is dry with oak upfront along side pepper and rye, followed by toasted vanilla, and a hint of caramel and mint. The finish is long, dry and spicy with oak, rye, pepper and fading vanilla. Not a complicated whiskey but it is excellent in what it brings to the table.

The nose has notes of straw, toasted cereal, pear and honey. The palate continues with pear and honey along with vanilla, leather, smoke, a slight pepperiness and a touch a burnt sugar. The finish is medium length with barley sugar, straw, honey, vanilla and a lingering pepper that sadly doesn’t stick around long enough.

The nose starts off with rye spiciness, brown sugar, a touch caramel and vanilla, all held together by oak. The palate is mouth coating with oak, strong rye spiciness and cinnamon, underlined by brown sugar, caramel, vanilla and cherry syrup. The finish is long and spicy with oak and cherry syrup which lingers and gives way to vanilla and toffee.

My sample is from the 1960s, and the nose starts of with oak upfront with spearmint and cherry syrup behind it, followed by vanilla, caramel, butterscotch and toffee. The palate has sweet oak mixed with baking spices that are stronger on cinnamon, along with butterscotch, vanilla, caramel and brown sugar, with a touch of cocoa powder rounding it out. The finish is long and oaky with baking spices that fade to lingering brown sugar and vanilla. Truly incredible.

The nose starts out very oaky with a touch of mint alongside it, while rye spiciness, butterscotch and a hint of smoke balance it all out. The palate is strong of oak, rye and cinnamon on top of a nice creaminess of butterscotch, toffee, cocoa, vanilla, mint and a some cherry sharpening it all out. The finish is very long, oaky and spicy, balanced by vanilla, bitter cocoa and butterscotch. Not for everyone because of the strong oak, but wonderful for those that like aged bourbons.

The nose is gentle with oak, honey, soft nutmeg, buttercream and sponge cake. Smells like a bakery with alcohol. The palate starts off with honey, oak and baking spices, with toasted nuts, poached pears and fruitiness balancing everything out. The finish is long and coats the mouth with a nutmeg spiciness, along with barley, soft fruit, fresh biscuits and a hint of oak. Excellent.

The nose starts out floral and creamy along with notes of oak, coconut and a touch of molasses and mint in the background. The palate is brown butter and warm with cinnamon followed by mint, molasses and a hint of oak. The finish is medium long and spicy with cinnamon, mint and brown butter. Spicy food cancels out the spiciness of the bourbon, leaving wonderful creaminess.

The nose is delicate with apples, pear, raisins, honey, dried fruit and. gentle spices in the background. The palate is equally as delicate with pear sweetness upfront along with straw, honey, dried fruit and gentle baking spices mixed with orange oil that warm the mouth. The finish is long with lingering sherry, straw, honey and baking spices. Complex and excellent.

The nose is very aromatic with sweet citrus, mandarin, pineapple and hints of malt all in a beautiful, simple arrangement. The palate starts off spicy with cardamom, along with malted milk on top of light and sweet flavors of citrus and pineapple. The finish is long and mouth warming with lingering spice, malt and pineapple that lasts and lasts before gently fading.

The nose has plenty of sherry and sugary rum notes, including raisin, brown sugar, molasses, toffee with a hint of mint and vanilla lifting it all up. The palate is covered in raisin and vanilla, with sweeter sugar notes following backed up with a touch of caramel and apple. The finish is medium long with fading caramel apple, sherry and brown sugar.