Smooth Ambler Old Scout Straight Bourbon (NAS)

This was my first Smooth Ambler experience. This one was a bit of a disappointment for me. It’s not that the taste is bad. The problem is that as quick as you taste the Old Scout it leaves you. Then you have the left over alcohol feel of a young drink. There are to many other drinks at this price point that give better results.

Classic bourbon notes on the nose with sweet cherries and vanilla, though it’s a bit harder to find. On the palette it’s immediately very sweet and the cherries and corn sweetness are super prominent. Then, the sweetness falls away and the whisky becomes very dry and dusty, which I actually like. Short finish.

The return of SAOS, still MGP sourced with no age statement but supposed to contain 5 year juice. On to the review: Pretty weak nose, with some creamed corn, pipe tobacco, and vanilla through a thin layer of alcohol. Not particularly inviting, but not off-putting either. Palate opens with caramel, vanilla, and butterscotch. Good things are happening...wait...what's that in the mid-palate? Yikes! An astringent, earthy mint and pencil shavings that wipes out the initial sweet flavors entirely. Finishes with cinnamon and burnt oak trailing off into a kind of bittersweet chocolate which is nice. Finish is short. Mouthfeel is neither chewy nor watery, and is appropriate for the proof. Overall this is a weird one because it starts well and ends well, but the mid-palate experience ruined it for me. Maybe it's the young age coming through or maybe it's always this earthy at any age, but I found it to be very unbalanced and overall not my jam. Hard to recommend at $43

Floral notes, honey & fruit with dryness on front of tongue~