Russell's Reserve 13 Year Bourbon (2022 Release)

The nose starts with a mix of dusty old leather bound books, carrot cake with rich cream cheese frosting and orange zest then sweet brown sugar coated cinnamon churros topped with dark chocolate ganache along with a mild smoke from freshly lit pipe tobacco followed by caramelized apples and cherries jubilee that transitions to spearmint, cloves and polished mahogany with high ethanol burn. The taste is a syrupy mouthfeel starting with a mix of dusty old leather bound books, carrot cake with rich cream cheese frosting and orange zest then a spicy mocha, freshly lit pipe tobacco and toasted almond croissant followed by caramelized apples and cherries jubilee over vanilla gelato that transitions to spearmint, ginger, cloves and polished mahogany with high ethanol burn. The finish is long, starting with sautéed caramel apples over vanilla gelato and spicy mocha that then fades to spices of cloves, ginger and spearmint along with pipe tobacco, dusty leather bound books and polished mahogany that lingers for minutes. This is a phenomenal bourbon that is evident from the first smell with a rich and decadent nose showcasing an old oak dominant backbone that is expertly balanced with creamy citrus, mild rye spices and confectionery sweets that carries over to the palate with a syrupy richness and the addition of a spicy mocha before a long finish starting sweet with light earthy flavors before fading to the background of rye, barrel spices and old dusty oak. I was fortunate enough to try a sample of the 2021 release thanks to @soonershrink and am lucky to taste this 2022 release due to the generosity of @skillerified as these tend to disappear from shelves and carry secondary prices of $400+. For me, the 2022 strikes a better balance than the 2021 which, based on my notes, had a lighter mouthfeel and higher tannic oak than I prefer and the 2022 has reconciled those flaws and really delivered something special. Both are fantastic though and certainly worthy of their retail costs, but I'd be reluctant to pay the secondary prices on these.

Picked this up in a lottery purchase from the Utah Dept of Alcohol Beverage Services for $71. Tasted neat. Floral grain and corn, brown sugar sweetness, fruit, and smoky oak on the nose. Deep and aromatic. Great legs in the glass and a dark rosy copper color. In the mouth, smoky tannic oak, leather, burnt brown sugar, vanilla, fruit and baking spices. Huge flavors and an ethanol bloom. Thick coating mouthfeel. Finish is cherry, oaky dry, spicy, mint tingle and grassy rye. Big and brawny, this is a great bourbon with real depth. An ice cube softens and rounds out the tannins and oak, tempers the ethanol.