Pure Kentucky XO

The last of the three bourbon samples given to me by John. Pure Kentucky XO is a NAS straight bourbon that is bottled at 53.5% ABV, is a natural color of dark copper and what I would suspect is non chill filtered. The nose starts sweet, like a sherried scotch, but it’s quickly taken over by cinnamon. Sweet cinnamon Red Hots candy. Savory fruits like apricots, pears and green grapes, but all covered in cinnamon and reduced in a bourbon sauce. Brown sugar, vanilla, a little mint and cherry cordials. Water brings out some toffee and caramel, but little else. The cinnamon is the star here and it’s a shining one. The palate is heavy on the oak and cinnamon. Mint and light cherries follow, but never really come into the foreground. Fairly peppery. It’s slightly harsh with a bit of a metallic taste. Water tones this down and enhances the cinnamon and oak. I couldn’t really pull much more out of it than that. Medium to full bodied, spicy and dry. The finish is medium long, very dry with plenty of cinnamon, some cherries and a little of that metallic note. Like the Forged Oak, I enjoyed the nose, but the palate really was a letdown. It’s just too harsh and that metallic note really turned me off. It’s a pretty good value at $35 for a higher ABV bourbon, but I would not buy a full bottle. 2.75 Cheers