I.W. Harper 15 Year Bourbon

spicy, smooth, scotchy

Nose: Grilled oranges, butterscotch, apples, baking spices Palate: Cinnamon, oak, honey. Orange peel and mint finish

Incredible bourbon here. Nose of vanilla, nectarine, oak. Comes through with a moderate alcohol burn and mild spice kick. Finishes a little watery, not leaving much of an oily coating, but a really nice finish that doesn't fade too quickly. The nose might suggest it's sweeter than it is, but everything is very well balanced. It sort of reminds me of Basil Hayden in the sense that it's not a stout bourbon, but a very balanced one with complexity and some delicate citrus and caramel flavors. Some people actually advised me against this, but I'm so glad I took the chance on Distiller's reviews because I love this bourbon. It's a real high quality bourbon in my opinion. It's great straight, but I like a single piece of ice in my glass. The bottle looks fancy, but what's inside is what counts. In this case, the bottle is indicative of the quality you're getting. I like everything about this bourbon.

first , vanilla pound cake taste with a orange citrus flavor. after taste is a spicy, cinnamon with chocolate after thought

Tasted this a little while back (not my bottle) so I don't have detailed notes. This one surprised me, not at all what I was expecting from a 15-year old KY bourbon. Sweet and herbal/floral both on the nose and palate, not nearly as much oak influence as I would expect for the age. Mouthfeel was thin, but it had a nice mint-chocolate finish. I think this would have benefited from a higher proof. It's just too thin at 86, and a higher ABV would have balanced the sweetness and hopefully added some complexity. Should make for an easy sipper for anybody new to whiskey, though.