Tastes

Starts out sort of harsh right when you first pour it. Nothing but alcohol and roasted peanuts. If you give it 10 or so minutes in the glass, it will change completely and turn into cherry, vanilla, and licorice - more typical bourbon stuff. But it doesn’t always end up that way, just depends on the day. So the end result is typically kind of nice, but it’s pretty fussy if you’re determined to enjoy it neat. Considering there’s now a range of more premium KC options at a decent price, the entry-level option seems less and less appealing. Bonus: it gives a good vanilla flavor if you use it in cocktails.

This tastes about how you’d expect. Like a campfire struggling to stay lit on a rainy, windswept beach - all that stuff. But what surprised me was the malt flavor. It kinda reminds me of a graham cracker, or a fancy tea biscuit. Quite nice, and no off-flavors (if you’re into this sort of thing).

Surprisingly bad. Smells decent, but the taste brings forward all the unpleasant notes, and hides all the good ones. It does mix well enough with a Coke, so its destiny has been decided.

Tastes pretty much exactly like you’d expect (which is still pretty good, to be fair), with the addition of some baking spices to keep your interest. Not worth the premium they charge.

Managed to find a glass of this for a not-insane price. The finish is the star of the show, for better or worse. This thing has an oaky bite like none other. It’s like the tannins are hooking into your tongue and trying to pull it out. And the finish never really subsides until you drink some water. I shudder to think of what the older variants are like. Underneath the insanity are some faint flavors of vanilla, dusty corn, maple syrup, and some black tea. Not very sweet at all, which I thought was cool. I’m sure I’m missing a lot here, but the oak bite was distracting. Overall: meh? I would be disappointed to pay ~$400 for a bottle. But I’d say the glass would be worth it once or twice. I’m sure this is the rarity and the hype talking, but there is something compelling about the experience. It makes you want to conquer the bourbon and explore the flavors underneath.

Perfectly fine, no unpleasant flavors, and the expert review is spot on. Would make a good daily drinker.