Tastes

15 min in a Norlan. Love this nose right from the start. Dark caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, and nutmeg. Faint leathery notes on the end too. Spice, pepper, and orange lead off, then the sweeter notes come in. Kind of like a caramel flan and candied orange peel. Finish is a bit short, but as sweet as it seemed to finish, it left my mouth pretty dry. Very nice

Neck pour. Rested for 15 in a glencairn. All leather and oak up front but after a few minutes and swirls, vanilla, apple, orange, and lemon become more prominent. Some dill and pepper peek in too. Its blended well after it all comes together. In the mouth its somewhat a surprise. Oily, tangy, and a little salty. All of this make for an unexpected sensation that took a few sips to get used to. But once I did, I fell in love. Biscuit dough, peanut brittle, vanilla, cinnamon, and apple dance on the tongue. Finish isn't too lengthy, but its flashy as it fades. Warming, but without burn. Unexpected in a good way. The blend itself is well integrated and you can taste all the different bourbons present. Cognac finish seems a bit lost to me. Biggest issues with this for me are the oily texture and lack of weight on the palate. And the cognac not having much influence. UPDATE: A few hours (and a few pours) later and the Cognac sweetness has come much further into play. Mouthfeel has changed, it feels more soft and mouth coating and even the finish is longer and more cohesive as well. Great blended bourbon and the packaging is great too. Nice heavy wooden box for display.

Nose is toffee, apple, marshmallow, leather, star anise, and cinnamon rolls. Entry is rich and well-rounded. Palate is smoky, spicy, vanilla, oak char, with some nice cherry and apple notes that light up the bright, lingering finish. Some tannins and oak finally let the whiskey fade into enjoyment. Rich and flavorful cask strength from Jefferson's.

Nose is sweet, showing brown sugar, vanilla buttercream, marshmallow, caramel, new leather, cinnamon, and maraschino cherries. Smokier and darker on the palate. Slow burn too with that nice high proof tingle. Still sweet but the brown sugar and caramel on the nose are darker, the fruit has turned to dark plum and some cassis, and the spice has become more pronounced, giving this better depth and balance. Rich, but not super smooth. Finish is on the leathery side showing some oak and spice. Good depth and length. Nice wheater. Not too sweet as the proof adds a bite and some spice.

What a thing of beauty. Nose is vibrant with hazelnut, fig, almond, white chocolate, white pepper, leather, straw, and oak. Lively, oily mouthfeel, supple fruit on the tongue that follows through so well from the nose. Drier than the nose with more spice as it lingers....and it lingers. What a beautiful dram.

Smells of a forest. Dark caramel, creme brulee, black pepper, dill, pine, and shoe leather mingle together beautifully with the woodsy backdrop of this bourbon. Vanilla and cinnamon red hots pop on the palate followed by candy corn, pine, cherry, and orange. Mouthwatering with a good finish and solid mouthfeel. Perfect proof. Nicely impressed with the two Michter's Legacy bottles. I preferred this one to Shenk's.

No age statement but it has plenty of oak and leather on the nose which makes me think it is maybe around 10 or more years old. There's also notes of brown sugar, dark honey, orange, maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg. On the palate more oak notes with brown sugar, dark honey, rye spice, milk chocolate, and some smoke. Next it leans to the fruity side with orange, citrus, and cherry. Finally finishing with some straw, malt, and more milk chocolate. Finish is pleasantly long and complex Very bold and expressive nose on a bourbon with a lower proof. I love the balance on the palate that includes some of those well aged notes of oak and leather and notes of orange, honey, and cherry.

Bottled: 1-13-20 Barrel: 4931 Nose is oak first (of course), shoe polish, leather, and oak spice, but still has sweetness with bold dark caramel, butterscotch, and orange cream candy. Palate shows a very surprising amount of sweetness for a bourbon that's been aged for 18 years. That dark caramel and butterscotch are prevalent as well as milk chocolate and some lemon/cherry notes. Also, this isn't too dry for 18 years old! It still made my mouth water, which was totally unexpected. Silky smooth and a slight Kentucky Hug round this one out to be a real standout for an aged bourbon. I do love me some aged bourbon and this one is surprisingly approachable. This is what I'd introduce to someone who doesn't like oak as much as I do. Excellent bourbon

Nose is punchy with leather, peanuts, vanilla, cinnamon red hots, fennel, and black pepper. Some stone fruit showing up too, peaches and nectarines. Nice Honey roasted peanuts, salted caramel, mint and sage, cinnamon on the nice finish. Lingers well, burn isn't bad but you know it's full proof. Love me some Booker's. Well done

Review after 2 weeks of opening Complex in the nose once you get past the shoe leather and oak. A drop of water brings out the sweetness. Vanilla, Werther's Originals, cinnamon, mint, pipe tobacco, and hints of citrus. Quite potent and interesting nose Palate shows leather, vanilla, French Toast, caramel, sweet cream, mint, orange, and sweet tobacco. Lingers for quite a while with big tannins, but it has enough sweetness to help keep a balance. Super round and full bodied, loved the mouthfeel with minimal burn. Lasting mint and nutella on the finish, very good. Don't give up on this one if at first you don't get much or are disappointed, this one definitely was lacking right out of the gate. Taste it again after a few weeks and see if you're still disappointed. It is an oak bomb, but it shows complexity and balance. You've got to be in the mood for an aged bourbon, but this hits the spot.