Knob Creek Limited Edition 2001

Batch 2. Smells glorious, with vanilla, butterscotch, and sugar, some fresh scent notes that I can't put a finger on. Very smooth on the palate, sweet but not cloying. So silky. Sharp wood notes and a bit of spice and bitter chocolate on the back end. Great warmth in the throat. This is a nice pour, although the finish is a bit short, and while not simple, overall it seems a bit thin. Too expensive for an every day pour, but I certainly wish it could be. This is a credit to Fred Noe. 3/5/17 I'm down to the end of the bottle now. The nose is still wonderful, if not more so than when I first opened the bottle. Doesn't feel as thin, and the bitter notes are a bit more pronounced. But otherwise the flavor profile is the same, thankfully. Say what you may about the price, which is understandable, but just judging the juice, it's hard not to like this bourbon. 8/28/17

Light bodied, sweet and spicy. Lingers on the back of tongue. Smoky.

Batch 2. It's hot but sticks around without being overwhelming. Vanilla is clear, maybe nutmeg.

Despite Knob Creek's marketing for this bourbon, I received batch #4. I still can't find any info online regarding batches 4 and 5, other than people like me who are reporting snagging a bottle. This is a nice bourbon with great color and a luscious aroma wherein the brighter youthful notes have become mellowed, blended, and velvety. If you're seeking an older bourbon, you're probably hoping for strong oak notes on the palate, and while this one's got them, they are on the subtler side and are accompanied by notable astringency (I wonder if this had anything to do with their decision to dump the barrels at this point) that battles with the vanilla sweetness and burn, which is there even with a healthy dose of water and persists through the medium-length finish. Definitely a nice whiskey and tastes like its age, but my rating scale factors in value, and for me, this isn't as good as the equivalently priced (if/when you can get it) Pappy 15 year. If price isn't an object, go for it, but don't expect a miracle! It was easier for me to appreciate the subtlety of the aged characteristics drinking this after a much younger whiskey.