Baker's Single Barrel Bourbon 7 Year

8.4/10 Vanilla, oak, peanuts

Rating a bottle that's been open a few years...probably purchased in 2020 or 2021. Pours amber, and a quick nose gives you the impression that this means business. Spicy, but bourbon through and through, there's plenty of vanilla and wood on the nose, but more than a healthy dose of ethanol makes you feel like you're diving into something 125+. Taking in the scent a bit more cautiously, it is actually quite pleasant, with vanilla remaining the key variable on the nose. Flavor is also vanilla-forward, with elements of spice on the edges (though far from a 'spicy' pour, there's also a sweetness alongside the vanilla). Some sweet cherry notes on the backend give it just a bit more depth to an otherwise straightforward pour. A pretty bold pour, this one drinks hot for the proof, which doesn't come as a surprise if you've given the dram a proper nosing. It's a pleasant drink...and one that I enjoyed early in my bourbon career, but there isn't a ton of depth here (which makes me excited to crack the Bakers 13 sitting on the shelf...another night!)

Herbal smell, wuite deep and gassy. A bit if a fruit on the nose too. Better smell than taste hy a it i suppose is what im saying. Sharp.