Sam Houston 14 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

To change things up, @Bourbon_Obsessed_Lexington sent me a series of samples that have either shapes or some code on them to prevent me from being able to know what they are until after I’ve tasted them. Will I mistake a rye for bourbon or completely miss a finish, who knows, but I’m dying to find out so let’s continue this blind challenge with the vial that has a diamond on it. The nose starts off with cherry coke and light banana followed by fruits of caramel apple pie and orange peel that transition to earthy dark chocolate, spearmint, peppermint, cloves, light leather and dusty oak with medium ethanol burn. The taste starts with a thin-medium mouthfeel starting with cherry coke and mashed ripe banana followed by fruits of caramel apple pie and orange peel that transitions to a mild spice that fades to spearmint, peppermint, cloves, leather and dusty oak with medium ethanol burn. The finish is medium length with flat cherry coke, mashed ripe banana, Granny Smith apple peel, light vanilla, spearmint, peppermint, cloves, leather, and medium tannic oak. This seems like an older bourbon that brings in those traditional flavors with some cola notes along with dusty oak that has a thinner mouthfeel than the nose suggests keeping the same flavors as the nose that starts fruity with cola notes before a mild spice in the middle that fades to those dusty notes before finishing medium length with cola, citrus, banana, spices and a bit more tannic oak than I’d like. An enjoyable pour, but it seems muted instead of bringing in those big bold in your face bourbon notes and isn’t as well balanced as I’d like which gravitates almost towards overly bitter notes on the taste and finish. So what is this diamond whiskey…… Sam Houston 14 year.

N: floral, cola P: Wood, baking spices F: dark fruit, chocolate