Tastes

Good nose, smells full, with wood, vanilla, fruit. Very smooth on the palate. A bit of milk chocolate. Creamy. Lingering spice. 8/17/18

Surprisingly rich on the nose, with creamy vanilla, lavender, and wood spice. After a while, some soap and maybe white grapes. Smooth on the palate, the creaminess carries over. Thick mouthfeel, sweetness balanced with spice, with an unexpected warmth going down. Shows more complexity after additional sips, with acidic fruit. The spice lingers. This is a pleasant, solid pour. Too bad it's been discontinued. 8/11/18

Great nose, this takes me back. To what, I'm not sure. But it definitely takes me back. Nuts, fruit, and dough on the nose. It's like a boozy peanut butter and jelly sandwich. An earthy, truffle note as well. On the palate, prickly spice up front, then the nose carries over - honey roasted peanuts, tart fruit, mushrooms. This must be Dickel. Nice, cascading warmth going down. Cacao nibs remain, and this lingers for a while. It feels thick and oily, quite viscous, like swallowing peanut butter. I'm not saying this is an easy sipper by any means, but it's way smoother than you'd expect for the proof. Another winner in the Barrell line. 8/6/18

Seems different on the nose than other Handy bottles I've had. Strong alcohol sting, with an interesting watermelon/rubber note. On the palate, floral and fruity. Unmistakably a rye. Sweet, but a pleasant bitterness on the finish. Smoother than the nose and proof suggest. 8/2/18

Great nose, rich and deep. Brown sugar, leather, clove honey. On the palate, sharp and acidic, very woody, with a hint of fruit. The flavor coats the mouth, and the warmth slowly covers the throat. Pleasant spice. This is definitely a nice bourbon, but it's hard to justify the hype. Enjoy it when you find it for a decent price. 8/2/18

Batch #3. Interesting and pleasant nose... some glue, some sour orchard fruit, clove honey, holiday spice. After a few minutes, the walnuts show up. On the palate, a somewhat creamy mouthfeel, with a bitter herbal note, and then the nocino influence. Ends with some sweetness and bitter nut shells. Warmth isn't intense but it lingers. It's not bad, but you're left wishing this was deeper and more complex. 8/1/18

Good nose - rich malt, sweet fruit (including banana), a hint of salt and smoke. After a little while there's a plastic note and some exotic spice. Sharp acidity on the tongue, yet smooth at the same time. Thick and viscous. Spice that lingers and coats the throat with warmth. The palate is muted, it's layered but subtle, with s noticeable but not unpleasant bitterness. The finish is prominent, however, maybe the strongest part of this pour. Sherry influence is light, in my opinion, and peat is barely noticeable. 7/27/18

Smells great, fruity and sweet with a touch of vanilla and char. Light and fruity on the palate, with a tingly spice. Very approachable. Finishes smooth with a pleasant bitterness. Understandable that this is what brought bourbon to the masses. 7/26/18

Strong nose, intense yet pleasant. Fruity, wer oak, some brown sugar, as well as alcohol sting. Young notes on the palate, but not harsh. Sweet, wood notes, and some orchard fruit and pecan nibs. Not overly complex but solid. Spice lingers and warmth is decently long. 7/23/18

Smells great. Rich brown sugar, oak, char. Sweet and oaky, with a slight spice kick towards the end that lingers. Feels restrained at first, but it's still good and seems to open up after a bit. Some milk chocolate at the end, with some cacao nibs. 7/21/18