James E. Pepper Decanter Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Vanilla nose, sweet peanut palate, tobacco/leather finish.

Great flavor, fruity. Shortish finish.

Big sweet caramel and vanilla. Very tasty.

Batch No. 0022 53.9% abv; 107.8 proof Open 6 months Nose - Freshly baked cinnamon buns, nutmeg, browned butter, pine sap, lemon oil, roasted peaches, toasted rye, and medium ethanol. Palate - Citrus peel, mint, pine needles, pumpernickel, and gingerbread. Finish is long with mouthcoating citrus and pine oils, dry oak, dry cinnamon, rye bread, and medium ethanol. This is the second batch I've tried, and these remain a great value. Every time I visit one of the northern Kentucky stores they are sitting on the shelves for $60 or less. They don't have the typical bourbon profile of what people chase (ssssssswwwweeeeeettttttt and simple), but I think I've nailed down a good comparison. More savory and more rye spice than Rare Breed or Russell's Reserve. I've had a couple off-profile Russell's Reserve picks in the last year, and this reminds me of those picks. I would also compare this to the more floral and savory Four Roses barrel proof picks that people overlook.