Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Bourbon W-L F-05 R-031 (Binny's Beverage Depot)

Pretty hot. Decent

This one goes in sweet and goes down hot, reminding you that sometimes whiskey can taste pretty much like the fire water you read about in books. When it hits the tongue, there's elements of pear, apple, a touch of honey, and even a tiny shadow of anise; but you don't have too long to think about it, since as soon as it hits the back of the mouth and the throat, you'll make Al Pacino "Hooo-ah!" noises (and/or Bobby Canavale coke faces, a reference you'll understand if you ever saw the awful HBO series VINYL). Which is all to say: Sometimes, those of us who like to sniff, sip and linger forget that this stuff is supposed to kick our asses. Knob Creek Single Barrel Bourbon kicks your ass, with a little class up front. I guess it's like a mullet.

Taste: Neat 2 oz. in a glen cairn with and without water. Background: This is a Binny's barrel pick that is 14 years old! It is not cask strength, but at the cut 120 proof I would guess very close to it. Nose: (4.75) upfront caramel, vanilla, oak, and some heat. The ethanol is present but not overly done. No disguising this is a serious bourbon. Palate (4.75): The vanilla and caramel melds wonderfully. I am immediately reminded of caramel cream, "bullseye" candy. The mouthfeel is buttery and soft. There is a chewy, butterscotchiness at the back palate. Wonderful taste with super good balance. Just a hint of Beam peanuts towards the end makes this a liquid ice cream sundae without loosing its alcohol oomph. Finish (5.0): Oak, brown sugar,butterscotch, vanilla, and browned butter that lasts for days. It is the kind of finish that makes you want more. I like that a lot. This is how a bourbon needs to finish. Overall: Tasted this along side Little Book #3, KC Silver Anniversary, and Booker's Centercut in a blind pour. Here is how I picked it-- KC Binny's, Center Cut, 25th Anniversary, and Little Book. That said ALL 4 of these bottles are absolutely outstanding! I think what draws me most to the Binny's pick is the incredibly rich balance this achieved. I may be biased, but with the exception of Basil Hayden's and the shelf Jim Beam white label (and even that is a good rail whiskey), I find most of these KC picks, one time releases, and Booker's to be truly exceptional.

Nose... This stands out immediately, while there is a definite proof factor in the nose, the aging has developed such sweet characteristics that it's almost as if you are at a local ice cream shop taking in the air... Appearance... Thanks to the aging this has a beautifully rich medium to dark mahogany hue which easily conveys the flavor you were about to consume... Taste... Huge flavors. Spice for days, pepper, a multitude of different ice cream sundae flavors between the nuts to the vanilla and butterscotch, rounding out with tobacco, coffee and leather, this bourbon has it all... Overall... Pick yourself up a bottle. The current buyer for Binny's couldn't say enough about this barrel. It's legit as far as overall taste and value are concerned. At $40 for a barrel proof which has this complexity is why Binny's has such a great Private Selection portfolio. This is a must and when drinking neat is like an ice cream sundae slowly melting away but still so good enough to scoop up towards the end...