Tastes

Gomer's Kansas City store pick, 9 yrs 11 mo, 116.2 proof. I've been sitting on this bottle for a while, so not available for sale anymore. Long legs in the glass. This is not what I expected at all from OESQ. The nose is definitely floral and a bit fruity and sweet, but that's where the OESQ profile ends. On the palate, this is full of fall spice, cinnamon and vanilla. Pepper burns the lips, tongue and chest and holds on and on. The finish on this whiskey continues with the spices and pepper and lasts quite a while and at the end finally reveals a touch of floral, rose hips essence. This bourbon tells you it's high proof up front and won't let you forget. Definitely not for the casual drinker, but absolutely delicious.

The nose is straight on burnt sugar. Palate hits with butter and cinnamon sugar cookie, but fades very quickly. Finish is non-existent save for the chest hug. The nose and initial flavor of this whiskey are very nice, but there is no relaxing with it. It leaves you with nothing in between sips so has no time to express much. Too bad, it starts with a lot of promise. I stepped away from this whiskey for several months and without reading my first review got the exact same impressions. The nose on this almost hits you like well aged rum, very nice but all down hill from there.

Nose is light, pit fruits and nutmeg. Palate is similar, but more prominent. Fruity and spicy with heat on the lips and in the mouth and chest. I'm reminded a little of a brown sugar poptart, peppery finish. I liked this bottle a lot more by the time I finished it than my initial impressions.

Very sweet, slightly grassy, fruity nose. Very nice. Sweetness follows on the palate with a fruity syrup flavor, perhaps apricot. Also brings allspice and heat. The finish turns a little peppery, but fruit remains, a bit on the short side all in all a very good pour.

High octane carameled apple nose. Palate is sweet candy corn followed by a slight astringence brought on by the alcohol that lingers towards the back of the tongue. Salty finish. Water or melted ice brings apple forward slightly and eases the bitterness. This high proof whiskey drinks that way.

Nose is sweet corn muffin and slightly grassy. Palate is shallow, slightly doughy with black pepper, fading to the grassiness. Comes across fairly young.

Nose is dry, oaky, and slightly sour. The palate is cherry coke and oak. The finish is at first bitter but after a few sips to normalize the palate, it turns peppery deep in the throat. This brings a lot for a 90 proof whiskey. A unique flavor you will either appreciate or dislike, no in betweens. I fall on the appreciate side of the scale. Collectors and craft fans should snag a bottle, casual drinkers might pass. I wonder if more time in the barrel would round out the flavors or go off the chart oaky? Two years on, finishing this bottle, and I have the exact same assessment.

Light, sweet, slightly soapy nose. Palate does not bring a lot. Sweetness, corn, a little grain alcohol. Peppery finish, warm. This is a bargain shelf bottled in bond. Evan Williams BIB, another from Heaven Hill, brings more flavor personality for just a couple dollars more, and more widely available.

The nose is fairly light for 120 proof. Peanut brittle and slightly floral. Not overly oily in the glass. The proof comes through on the palate. Peanuty, but peppery and hot. The flavor is front and mid-palate. There is a touch of paint. Water/ice improves this one.