Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond 15 Year (Fall 2019)

N: Woody vanilla with some hints of cherry P: Soft, creamy vanilla is immediately laid in front of you. It doesn't continue quite long enough before wheat takes over and brings the heat. Black pepper sprinkles mid-palate. F: Very oaky finish that lasts for a good piece. The spice carries very well. Nice KHug.

The nose has a delightful toasty flavor - a bit nutty, but mostly just nice and roasted, almost like barley tea a bit. It also has some tart and vanilla scents that fill out the complexity. It smells fantastic with a huge fullness of flavor. The palate agrees. This is smooth and rich with some spiciness and a moderately strongly viscous mouthfeel. It tastes delightful and that toasted flavor just has a mild barrel presence to it, preventing it from tasting over-oaked. I don't taste as much complexity as I feel like I should, but the richness is sublime. The notes of white pepper give it life, but they don't overwhelm it at all. This is what I thought that I.W. Harper 15 and Garrison Brothers would taste like. This isn't what I expect of a wheater, but now I know why I like William Larue Weller so much. There is a bit here that does remind me of Blanton's, so Blanton's could be a good substitute. There are flavors of toastiness, mild pecan and almond, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, white pepper, brown sugar, maple, vanilla, a tad of banana, and light spearmint. And something tart. There's a bit of tannin, but not a lot. I love it. It's easily a 20 and might even be a 22. I don't think it's a 23, but there's always that possibility. Everything here is in amazing balance. I'm bordering on 21 vs 22. I think I'm landing on 21 though. I upped it to 22. It's so, so good, but so tragically expensive!