Smoke Wagon Private Barrel Bourbon

Taste: 2 oz. neat, and then 3 drops water in glen cairn. This is Binny'sBarrel #308, 8yrs at 62.85% Nose: Simply spectacular nose. Notes of caramel, brown sugar, oak, and cinnamon. Leaps from the glass. Palate: The mouthfeel is oily and thicker. Upon entry this reminded me of a soothing sip. The notes are browned butter, nougat, and prickly baking spice. This bourbon is not for the faint of heart. It challenges you in a rustic way with traditional caramel tones and spicier rye notes. The water tones down the spice and tunes in some oak. Have it any way you like it, but this bourbon is rough, ready, and willing to deliver. Finish: If there is a flaw it is in the finish which is a bit drying. It doesn't trifle and is in your face. The spice is forward, but there is a butterscotch send off making me want to dive more. Overall: Hard to fault good cask strength MGP. This bourbons flaw may well be its greatest strength- it is not complex but rather traditionally caramel and cinnamon forward. It will challenge the novice on how hard it hits. As compared to the uncut, unfiltered version this had a better mouthfeel and richness about it, but is in the same taste profile wheelhouse- not vastly different. Think of it as the best of the best of uncut/unfiltered. Where it lacks is that the very same whiskey aged longer in a more changing climate (Illinois) that is found in Old Fangled Knotter Bourbon 9 year for comparison is more polished. Perhaps the Galena climate smoothed out some rougher edges or the extra year mellowed OFKB a bit. Side by side- 9 year OFKB is just more sophisticated and polished. That said, from the cowboy themed, cross gunned bottle, to the rough and rugged finish, Smoke wagon doesn't try to be sophisticated and proudly so. It is rough, ready, in your face and delivers as it intends to. I welcome that with open arms and will certainly search for more private, and perhaps older barrels. As Jimmy Russell once said about Wild Turley," I don't find all the tastes all of you find in our bourbon, but I do know what is good bourbon and what is bad bourbon." He then took a sip and proudly exclaimed, "Ahhh! Now that's good bourbon!" Like Jimmy, I feel the same about Smokewagon.

12yr pick.

Del Mesa 8y pick

This is just a little more complex than the uncut I have

Oak and spice. Mild heat. Cherry and fruit. Medium finish

Spicy. Medium finish

Nose: Marshmallows, light rye spice, a little nuttiness maybe pecans Taste: very sweet and sugary dark chocolate, rye spice, cherries and cashews Palate: long lasting roasted marshmallows

Drinking the South Jersey Bourbon Drinkers' "Tombstone" pick which clocks in at 12 years, 114 proof and is liquid delicious. One of the most complex barrels I've tried. White chocolate and lavender are the first things that come to mind, but there's a pleasant spicy finish with hints of heat and dulce de leche. An exceptional bottle