I.W. Harper 15 Year Bourbon

The nose has a full scent of mild wood. It suggests sawdust and fruit-wise it's more on the tangerine side. There's definitely vanilla and some spice. I appreciate it in comparison with a scotch that has too much sulfur, but off the top of my head, it just smells like a mellowed out Elijah Craig Small Batch, not so much an aged one. Still, the nose does suggest a nice smoothness and there are still nutty scents of lightly toasted almond and pecan. The palate is drier than the nose suggests, but quite mild as it suggests, albeit in a different way. The palate is quite light and dry with more spice than expected and some numbing clove bitterness that melds into peppermint. It isn't very complex - or at least it numbs too quickly for the complexity to be detected. There are faint suggestions or orange and the sawdust character of the wood sure does come through. If that's showcasing its age, then congrats on that success I guess, but this is a pretty unimpressive drink. Compared with the popular melt-your-face bourbons though, this is quite approachable. I wouldn't really choose it drink it though, so I'm leaning a bit south of a 15 - maybe a 13 or 14. I think I'll settle on a 14 for now. Sadly, while the nose does suggest a mellower Elijah Craig 12, the palate is not rich or sweet enough to be there. Sure, the palate is less harsh, but it also has this overwhelming low-key mintiness and sawdust. I think I'd rather just drink Elijah Craig Small Batch (though I do think I've overrated that particular whiskey on past tastings).

I received a sample of this from @DigitalCork, and I'll save some space here by echoing his sentiments below.  "Nice" sums it up - soft and uncomplicated; oak forward without any sharp edges. For those occasions when I'm in the mood for a kinder, gentler dram, it would do quite nicely.  It would also be a great option for someone who's curious about bourbon but hesitant about drinking straight liquor.  However, I'm not sure that either of those use cases is compelling enough for me to spend $80-100 for a bottle.  Nevertheless, it's not easy to find comparably aged bourbons for less money, and as an easy going bourbon, it has plenty of merit. Thanks @DigitalCork for the pour!

Nice orangey/floral notes and a delicious sweet, vanilla finish.