I.W. Harper 15 Year Bourbon

Neat. Sample. Never jumped into this one. Was gifted a sample. Reviews are typically divisive and the low proof at a high price scared me off a bit. The nose is great though. Reminds me of a Rhetoric on the nose. Deep sweet oak, hint of cherry and grape, deep cinnamon and nutmeg, maybe even clove. There is even a pear here. Like this underlying sweet, sourness. There is even a nice smokiness too. Really really good nose. I truly hope this is oily enough to not disappoint. Okay, mouthfeel is nice and velvety. Not watery. That’s a start. So sweet on the tongue. Powdered sugar, hint of lemon, and sweet oak. Oh the finish is too short but the first taste was really good. Sweet oak, light butterscotch, powered sugar and hint of lemon again (think lemon bar but the lemon is very light), and the cinnamon showing up on the finish. Oh and the finish is getting better on subsequent sips as the oils build up. Getting a nice cherry note on the finish now. Ah this is good! No idea why this is so divisive. I love this high age but sweet forward profile. I have had quite a few over aged bourbons that are bitter and tannic and no fun. This is fun! The low proof doesn’t mute these flavors. I will buy a bottle now.

Bold nose is sweet, floral, and mildly spicy. Sweet and spicy on the palate, this drinks like a higher proof (in a good way). A vibrant whiskey!

Nose - creamy vanilla, butterscotch, banana, Nilla Wafer, sweet dusty corn, cherry, cinnamon, light oak notes, mild ethanol burn. Taste - cherry, sweet vanilla, butterscotch, chili powder, cinnamon, almond, allspice, sweet corn, sweet oak, cocoa, mild alcohol bite, finishing medium length with caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, and subtle nut flavors. On the nose, I would have pegged this for a mature Jack Daniels, however the taste doesn’t follow suit. It’s a very sweet (almost cloying, but not quite), easy drinking whiskey that I think would make a good candidate to introduce someone to bourbon, as it’s just plain pleasant. If you want something extremely “smooth” in every way, this is for you. There’s absolutely no burn in the nose or the palate. This is not a bad bourbon, but there’s nothing special here. Additionally, I think it’s overpriced for what you get. Thank you to @ContemplativeFox for providing this sample for review.