Tastes

On the nose, I get vanilla, caramel, dusty oak, nuts, orange. In the palate, sweetness and burn are in great balance for the proof, with more vanilla, sweet rye bread, peanut, caramel, molasses, oak. Lingering burn and long finish. Big and powerful bourbon, but I think it is in good balance and drinks fairly smooth for the proof. Good oily mouthfeel.

Spearmint, apple, vanilla, spice and ethanol on the nose. Vanilla, oak, caramel, brown sugar on the palate. Great lingering finish. Very smooth at higher proof. A delightfully good bourbon that is generally available and reasonably priced.

Peat smoke, iodine, sea salt, some fruit on the nose. On the palate, lots of smoked meat, seaside saltiness, brine, campfire, apple. Really good.

Campfire and smoke, sweet candied nuts, sherry, bacon, salt, vanilla, pepper, honey. Peat is very noticeable, but balances well with the sherry sweetness. Very nice, oily mouthfeel and lingering finish with peat and salinity. Complex and a lot to pick up and think about here, but the balance and mouthfeel are just great. One of my favorite go to pours.

Lots of caramel, with vanilla, butterscotch, honey, sweet bread. Very smooth with a great, lingering finish.

Good stuff. Honey, sherry, nut, vanilla, some oak.

Honey, baked bread, vanilla, mint, light oak. Tannin on the finish. Sweet and smooth.

Really good and a lot going on. Marmalade, apricot jam, rye spice, mint. Everything in nice balance.

Vanilla, baked apple with brown sugar, honey. Fairly classic bourbon profile. Has a little burn. Mouthfeel seems a little light on palate initially, but I get a nice lingering finish. Definitely worth the purchase.

Specs single barrel pick, barrel #28368. 31 months in barrel, new American oak and finished in 1st use California Pinot noir cask, then transferred to used Kentucky bourbon barrel. Ethanol is noticeable on the nose, but pick up the sweet chocolate notes. Chocolate rye bread on the taste with a lingering rye spice finish. Definite Balcones and unique rye whiskey. Rich and thick. Not picking up much of the Pinot influence. Makes for a good dessert sip.