Noble Oak Double Oak Bourbon

Silky smooth. Caramel, cinnamon with a surprising lemon note. Did not get a the barrel flavors I expected from a oak infused bourbon.

This is in the sherry-finish division of my finished bourbon bracket. It was Joseph Magnus vs Noble Oak, winner to go against Wild Turkey Revival. In a blind taste test, Joseph Magnus won. As always... this is for science. Blind was kind of impossible. Although price doesn’t always mean better, $90 vs $30 was meaningful here. I wasn’t fooled for a second. The oak is strong with this one. Doubled, some might say. The nose immediately lets me know what I’m getting into: heavy oak scent mixed with artificial banana flavoring. It’s reminiscent of Woodford Double Oaked in that way. Body is a hit of that same banana flavor, and the finish carries away an almost imperceptible raisin flavor, again overpowered by that artificial banana. The main recognizable sherry influence is a dry mouth feel on the finish. For those of you who dig Woodford Doubled Oaked, this is a variant on that flavor profile at 60% the cost. I’m not convinced that banana/oak is the most compatible flavor profile for a sherry finish, but it’s interesting.