Tastes

Initial rye bite followed by a subtle dry black cherry and moderately tannic oak. Pleasantly sweet overall with a peppery finish.

Solid backbone of the younger I. W. Harper with a well balanced tannic oak and light Cabernet highlight. Stunning for the cost.

Best damn $21 bottle I’ve ever tasted! Great wheated bourbon with only the faintest hint of being young and a bit un-refined. Disclaimer- I’m a huge “all things Buffalo Trace” fan and the desire to compare this to a blend of Buffalo Trace and Weller Reserve is there. I typically keep Trace on hand for a pedestrian pour and for cocktails. For $19 cheaper, this will replace Buffalo Trace for bourbon mixers and cocktails. I’ll still keep a handle of Beam for me friends who ask for bourbon and coke. We all have one of those guys. 😜

Higher, fusel alcohol overpowers. Cinnamon, vanilla and a hint of butterscotch in the background. Somewhat oily and spicy. I can’t find much info on mash bill, but I’d guess it’s a higher rye whiskey. Meh. Not a $50 bottle for sure, but I’ll finish it.

Solid spice with abundant vanilla sweetness. Almost has wheated sweetness.

Great, slightly sweet muted corn with complexity mimicking more expensive aged single barrel offerings. By far one of the best, if not the best, sub-$30 bourbons.

Very sweet nose with a powerful cinnamon blast on the back end. Very rich and full mouthfeel, but not as oily as expected for a high rye. Rye is prevalent in the taste but is quickly (and pleasantly) masked by what I can only assume are the effects of the port finish. I swear I can pick up faint, sweet grape and tannic oak. Very nicely compliments the rye punch. Well worth the money. I’ll grab another before it disappears.

Knock your socks off leather, oak and vanilla. Chewy and mouth coating in the middle with dark fruit. Finishes long and just as full and sweet as it starts.

Just a great pour. Don’t know much about the making of this, but I’d guess there’s an ample amount of wheat in the bill. Caramel, cinnamon, leather and mild sweetness. Fairly one-dimensional, but it’s a decent flaw as it is a good dimension. Just doesn’t change much front to back.

Smooth honey, floral. Similar taste to its younger brother Green Spot, but the oak is more subtle and the honey and clover notes stand out.