Tastes

Uncorking- Nose- Caramel tart apples, cider, dark honey. Taste- Cedar, charred oak, vanilla, cherry. Pie crust. Hints of roasted nuts. Some leather. Bits of spice. Finish- cherry and oak wood, vanilla, orange zest Surprisingly tasty. Just a touch a spice and spike. Nice warming hug. Lots of flavors to chew on.

Uncorking- Nose- rich, rye pops hard then green grass and mint. Burnt sugar like creme brulee, earthy undertone almost umami like scent. Almost like a hint of beef or mushroom. I went to the bottle to see if it was the glass and it's definitely there. Taste- so much spice, rye, cinnamon, pie, hot for a 108, makes the tongue pop like a 120+ proof. It's followed by a perfume sweetness that is accented with air on the tongue. Decent mouthfeel with a tiny bit of oil and doesn't feel like only 2 years aged. Finish- rich and peppery, with some vanilla and creme brulee layers taking turns peeking out. Really great rye. I see the following. If you don't like Rye you will probably hate this. It's rye cranked up but I really liked it.

Uncorking- nose - definitely rye, earthy, spicy. Carries into the taste. Taste - rye spice and breads, green mints and grass, baking spices with sweetness, oak barrel. 94 proof and no burn drinking neat but you get the rye spice heating. Finishes - sweet w spice lingering for a medium finish. Not overly complex but very pleasant and a nice rye sample.

Uncorking- nose - not much but alcohol at first after just a few minutes I was getting apples, cider, pear skins, some oak, lighter sweets like vanilla and caramel but the fruit really jumps for me. Taste- instant caramel and pie crust, really strong warming hug, especially at this low proof. Fades quickly into the apples and hints of ripe pears, maybe dark cherries. Really distinct layers that cycle through one after the other. I don't get them at once, they change every few seconds. Interesting. Finish- The alcohol is still there and a bit drying but the mouthfeel is oily and rich. More spices on the end but fruit is still there. Like you had a nip of mulled cider. Allspice, cinnamon, cloves and white pepper all make an appearance.

Uncorking neat- Nose- oak and sweet caramel with real vanilla bean, roast corn once it sits in the glass. Taste - Really sweet with brown sugar and the proof kick is there but in a pleasant warming way. Oily mouthfeel is luxurious. Full and rich. Finish - More caramel, tanned leathers, dark hard woods, peanut shells.

Uncorking- nose - some rye spice, caramel, cedar wood, cinnamon. Pine. Taste- howdy. Proof kicks in right away in a pleasant punch, caramel, barrel notes, something that tastes like a perfume smells, oakiness, spice. This one quickly numbs the mouth with some burn. Baked apples. A bit more evergreen. Some youth in the taste but not a lot, still get a bit of barrell. Wondering if these are small barrels? Finish- Spice and evergreen continue with bits of citrus peel, black pepper and spice. Tiny hints of tobacco are a nice balance. Overall my first Smoke Wagon bottle but I'm already a fan. I see why this is gaining a following. I go to Vegas a few times a year and will make this a stop when I can.

Uncorking- Nose- More bourbon notes than smoke initially but then the smoke and phenols kick in. Not sweet on the nose at all. Dry twigs. Fresh dirt. Several layers here to explore. Taste- wow right off the top char and ash. Way more than the nose betrayed. Islay levels here. But then it's all bourbon on the back side. This is less a mix than layers. You do get that bandaid flavor, sea salt, peat smoke and even a bit of grass and spice. Smoked italian meats. Swear Finish- The smoke chills quickly for me and it's a great bourbon lingering after along with a bit of heat. Overall I'm impressed. I keep going back for a bit more Tastes a bit hotter than it's proof. As a huge fan of Islay and bourbon this is really interesting. I'm surprised this bottle doesn't get more attention.

Uncorking- Nose - vanilla pods, caramel and a hint of smoke. Little bits of wood. Normal Knob creek sweetened and cranked up. No major spice on nose. Taste - vanilla, caramel pop with surprisingly little heat for 120 proof on the pallet but plenty of hug after. Bit more spice than the nose was giving. Dark honey and cereal. Thin mouthfeel. Finish- under the sweet caramel and brown sugar it's a tiny bit astringent with barrel tannins and hints of leather. Finish taper soft quickly but once mellowed out it stays around. Nothing jutting out, just real good a down the middle flavors bourbon and a solid step up from basic knob creek without leaving the family at all.

Nose- Sweet and powerful, brown sugar, some wood but way back Taste- Flavor bomb, brown sugar, pecans, oak, some cinnamon. Bits of cherry and fruit in places. Def tongue burn. Tried a few drops of water and it made it a but nuttier but more ethanol came through too. I'll stay neat. It definitely has the JD signature flavor but turned up, like way up. Finish- long but it's almost muted flavors and less complex. Quickly settled in to a bit more oak and a lot of caramelized sugars with hints of fruit gummies. Honestly didn't expect much but this was really good. I feel like a bit more time in the barrel or maybe a second barreling would take this to another level. If you look down at JD (as I tended to) it might be because you haven't tried this one.

Nose - cherries, oak and fresh wood, fruity Taste- fruity and floral with some more oak maybe walnut oil and moderate spice. Cherry again, with more tropical fruits than I am used to. Wethers Caramels. Finish- warm with spices over fruit and just a little wood to balance it out. I held off on this one seeking out more "rare" or outside of mainstream releases but this is a great reminder exactly why bottles like this earn such a following. Warehouse Q5, Barrel 28