Swahili1
Reviewed
June 20, 2019 (edited April 8, 2020)
Tasting: 2oz neat in glen cairn
Nose (4.0): Traditional sweet bourbon nose. Butterscotch and vanilla dominate up front. I also got a little candy corn.
Palate: (3.75) Hit me first with a little bit of soap taste that was off-putting. This dissipated quickly and reminded me of grandma's candy bowl. I got those yellow sweet butterscotch candies, with sugary cherry slices, and vanilla. Mouthfeel was buttery and thicker. If not for that soapiness un the beginning I might have been at 4.25.
Finish: (3.75) Nice finish. Some peppery notes let you know there is a little backbone to it and it is not all sugar plums and candy corns. Kind of a quick finisher though.
Overall: At first I was kind of meh. After some time with it has some merit to it. I am not a huge fan of blended whiskies BUT if this is where things are going it is on the right track. Pricewise though, you can do better. A lot of work blending these whiskies yielded what in my opinion is an above average bourbon at an elevated price in which I would gladly buy something like a Knob Creek or WT Rare breed for less and get same effect. If it were $50 that would be great, but over $70 I am not so sure. As for me, I am glad mine was a sample.