Rhetoric 23 Year Bourbon

Sweeter than the 24. Rich without spice. Natural oak with age

The first time I had this, I got lots of oak, some sweetness... and very little else (if anything). I was told it would open up. Three weeks later, I get more fruit on the nose, very pungent, almost like a sour ale. Definitely oak and maybe some cloves and brown sugar. On the palate, the sharp oak is still there, but there's more this time, some floral notes and baking spice to round out the sweetness. It finishes with more oak and a strong char, along with roasted gingko seeds and a hint of bitter chocolate and pecan shell. It feels creamy and thin at the same time, interestingly. This is still an acidic oak bomb, but there's more this time around. Hopefully it'll continue to open up. 5/16/18 Has developed a bit, some earthy tones and caramel. But still really oaky. 5/27/18