Smoke Wagon Small Batch Straight Bourbon

Very tasty, almost nutty like the EH Taylor SB I had just tried

Totally disappointing. Watered down rye spice and caramel. Nothing special about this except the cool bottle.

I’ve long been a fan of Smoke Wagon, but I’m currently revisiting the bottles in my collection as I have continued to learn about bourbon. Tonight it was this one! I’m actually tasting two: one from 2020 in the amber bottle, and one from 2021 in the clear bottle (they bottled so much in 2021 that they ran out of amber bottles and had to use clear bottles until their Italian manufacturer began making the bottles again!). 2020: Color: raw honey Nose: ethanol and corn First sip neat: a lot of spiciness from the heavy rye, just a nonstop burn from start to finish. Then there are some notes of popcorn and vanilla, a little smokiness. Adding water yields some notes of tea and leather. It’s definitely not fruity to me- more of an earthy flavor. The water tones down the spice. This feels like a traditionally “masculine” bourbon (I say that as a female), a “cigars in the library” vibe. Long finish, more savory than sweet. My mouth feels dry. 2021: Color: raw honey Nose: sweeter corn and brown sugar, no ethanol, definitely more inviting than the 2020 bottle First sip neat: there is some spice for sure, but far less than the 2020 bottle. First thing I notice is peanuts, followed by toffee sweetness. Adding water brings forward that familiar bourbon vanilla and buttery caramel popcorn. Long finish is baking spices and that same subtle smokiness from 2020. There is a more noticeable spice kick on the finish. I prefer the 2021 bottle, which I think just shows that they are ever improving their bourbon game. I’ll say that Smoke Wagon is usually the one I take camping with me, and it’s one of my favorite bourbons for a good campfire-side Old Fashioned.