Sonoma County Distilling Co. West of Kentucky Bourbon No. 1

I snagged a local offering on recommendation while heading home from the West coast. This bottle of Sonoma County Distilling Co. West of Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey was bottled in the fall of 2017 (#1362 of 320 cases). It has a cherry, fruitcake nose that mellows to a citrusy, floral honey tone. Because this is their take on classic Kentucky bourbon (and aged in new, charred American oak), I braced for more bite but am pleasantly surprised by the more-comforting warmth. The flavour reminds me of dense rum cake that has been soaked in booze: spices, orange zest, oak with a spiked syrup kick. With time, smoke deepens my sips like a jazz saxophone playing a solo in an underground bar. This whiskey coats my mouth but has a light mouthfeel. The finish is quite short, save for a slight allspice tongue tingle. I wish it stuck around longer as it's a pleasant drink. 7.5/10

No taste/flavor.

with a cigar

Sweet nose nice maple finish with spiced cake end, very rich