Booker's Bourbon

oily, trad vanilla carmel

There is a ton of vanilla on the nose, very noticeable even though you can't stay in the glass too long. There's also a caramel sweetness that reminded me of taffy and a bit of oak underneath. It should be no surprise, but this whiskey kicks. On the first taste I got nothing but salted peanuts in the shell. I got a hint of cherry lurking on the edges before the heat rolled in. Second taste wasn't nearly as overwhelming and had more oak and vanilla with a creamy-char sweetness that I couldn't put my finger on but tasted like something nostalgic. A couple drops of water cools the dram down and brings out the barrel notes while tamping the sweetness down. The cherry becomes more muddled with other dark fruits and the salted peanuts return on the finish and linger for awhile.