Bondstone Double Oak Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Surprisingly pleasant and very easy to enjoy. The nose is soft and inviting, with almond, brown sugar, light caramel, and gentle oak. The alcohol is very well integrated, which makes it feel smoother and more balanced than expected. On the palate, it reminds me a bit of Four Roses Small Batch: simple, straightforward, but satisfying. With ice, it works even better, bringing out more brown sugar and soft wood while keeping the alcohol under control. The finish is short and not especially complex, but the flavors are pleasant and clean.

Starts off eith too much heat but the finish of vanilla and oak is nice

Color: Medium Amber Nose: Molasses, maple(?)... sweeter nose than that of the Toasted Barrel that I just reviewed. Palate: (Drank with an ice cube) Hmm. Similar initial spiciness out of the gate as the Toasted Barrel that I just tasted and reviewed... but with a thinner mouthfeel and generally thinner flavor profile. Chest hug is there — and perhaps more pronounced than with the former expression. Not a lot going on with this one. Funny... I liked the nose in this one better than the Toasted Barrel's nose, but the palate did not follow through. Finish: Medium length finish with spice with a slightly drying quality. Final Thoughts: This is the third Bondstone offering that I have tried. My favorite of the three is the Quad Oak, hands down. In second is the Toasted Barrel... and last is this one. This is not by any means "bad" Bourbon. But compared with the other two Bondstones, it gets overshadowed. Like The Toasted Barrel, this was a sample bottle so I can't follow-up with a second pour. I'm going to give this 3.0 stars.

Neat: Sweet, oak, marshmallow, caramel. Tasty. I need to get some more of this one.

Very sweet. Great flavor. Only complaint is I wish it was a little higher proof. Fantastic to sip on