Kings County Peated Bourbon

An intense, Bourbon Whiskey by Kings County Distillery in New York with the barley in the mash coming from Scotland that has been malted then dried over peat smoke. It has an aromatic birth with notes of S’mores & sea salt; while a bittersweet life adds notes of chocolate-covered pretzels, herbs, smoke, leather & toasted caramel; that led to a thick & oily death with hints of salt & spice. May / October 2020 / August / October 2022

Batch 22 - found this 'clearanced' for $29.99 (750ml), so figured "why not", realizing this isn't necessarily a 'mixer' if I don't enjoy it neat. Anyway, here we go... Ok, nose is already a huge surprise...I mean, there's some earthy peaty notes, but it is not a smoky nose...a skosh of campfire, but plenty of sweet, maple-like notes, brown sugar, baking spices, caramel, and a splash of vanilla. I mean, I'd be confused if I had this blind, but I certainly wouldn't jump to it being a peated mashbill. Flavor is more smoky, but still, not egregiously so. Its a sweet and smoky ride, but more bourbon-y notes come through...oak, more of the maple and brown sugar, some hay/grassy flavors interspersed, and a bit of spice on the finish. Unique pour Finish is shorter than average...not terribly so, but enough to detract a bit...again, its like the bunny hills on a roller coaster, but the ride is a bit too short. Regardless, exceeded expectations. Would compare this to some Balcones/Garrison Bros products I've had in the past, but better, as the smoky notes compliment, rather than overpower this pour. That being said, I like a good Islay, but if I'm in the mood for an Islay, I'm probably not reaching for a "peated bourbon", so the nuance here is appreciated. Not sure if I'd pay the typical sticker price, but I'll probably back this up if I can get one more for $30, as I doubt I'll run into anything like this again for a while