Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon

Exit 9 care package

Its ok,but first pour, i don't see the crazy hype...

A perfect amount of vanilla and sweetness with no heat in the body. Rounds out with some cinnamon at the end.

Almost exactly a year ago I was sitting in a restaurant neighboring a hotel I was staying in having a late dinner after catching a flight in to Phoenix International for one of my many business trips that I was on for a previous job of mine. I was delighted to see Elmer T Lee on the menu and had a taste. But when you're sitting in a restaurant surrounded by the smell of food and the sounds of music and conversation, it's difficult to focus on the task at hand. Well, fast forward a year later and I was able to finally get a bottle of my very own. And now here comes the serious review of Elmer T Lee, sipped neat from a Glencairn as the whiskey Gods intended. The nose is a beautiful mix of sweet and spicy. Smells like sweet apple pie but a little heavy handed on the cinnamon. Plenty of vanilla whipped topping on there and all that dessert sweetness is wrapped up in a leather jacket. The taste is distinctly devoid of alcohol heat and beautifully sweet. That apple pie follows right into the taste and you definitely get the cinnamon swirl from the nose. Some caramel cream really softens the flavor profile up mid taste and creates a viscous and coating mouth feel. So good. Just before the prevalent spiciness of the finish kicks in, a little bit of leather jacket dries up all of that sweetness from the taste and leaves just the cinnamon. But remember that thick mouth feel I described from the taste? It luckily stays for the finish which is satisfyingly long, oily and spicy. Your tongue is left with a slight tingle which keeps you going back for more. God.... this is truly one of the greats. I see why its so hyped and it does deserve the hype. Exactly a year ago secondary pricing was going for 300-400. But I just picked up my bottle local for 199, which is still more than we should be paying for the privilege ( a place local to me had a Black Friday special on Elmer for $99 a bottle. I missed the last one by about 5 minutes ). However, sometimes you've just got to treat yourself to some damn good bourbon.

ELMER T LEE NOSE: Dry and Oaky. Cinnamon Stick, Brown Sugar, Hazelnut, Weathered Leather, and Black Pepper. NEAT: Up front is Drying Oak Tannins, Cinnamon, Peanut Brittle, Black Pepper, Rye Spice, and a Hint of Barnyard. Not overly complex, but Solid. However, the backend and Finish downgrades the overall experience with an overly Bitter note. SPLASH: Helps with the Bitterness at the end, transforming it more towards Baking Spice. VERDICT: After years of hype, I’m a little disappointed in this. It is solid (and perhaps I’m being a little hard on it after last night’s excellent 4 Roses pour), but this barrel at least, is definitely not secondary price worthy.