William Heavenhill 12 Year Barrel Proof (7th Edition)

Graciously received a sample bottle and able to share it with 2 buddies. This bottle is glorious and almost got a perfect score. I can't comment how far it was down the bottle. Poured in a GC and let it breathe for at least 15 minutes. High proof goodness needs time to get ready. N(4.5): Right when I poured it into the glass, I got a burst of creamy vanilla but on the initial sniff, it was a bit muted. Even diving my nose deep, I couldn't pull out much. I got small hints of sweetness, but that's about it. After a sip, the nose really came out. I guess my senses needed to wake up. Heavy cherry came out first then an amazing balance of vanilla and oakiness. P(5): Woo wee. First sip, fireworks of bold flavors of cherry, brown sugar, all velvety around the tongue. Second sip, I swooshed around and same boldness but my tongue definitely felt the proof. The vanilla train came in. Vanilla oak. Vanilla cherries. Vanilla whip cream. Vanilla bean. The amazing thing is with all the vanilla, you didn't lose any of the other flavors. F(5): This goes on and on. Hug comes in on the second sip and gets gentler. Just the right amount of hug that tells you it loves you. I love when oak is on the finish but it doesn't turn bitter. Vanilla of course. Got dark chocolate on the back top of my tongue that transitioned into milk chocolate. Like milk with a bit of nesquick mixed in. Overall: Bold amazing flavors throughout. Needed to break in my senses at first. The proooof does not bring the burn you would think. I think Knob Creek single barrel at 120 proof brings more heat to the party. It's not complex, but with the balance and boldness of flavors, its not required to categorize it as unique. $249 is hard for me to chew on. If I got a bonus or did a distillery tour I would probably pick it up. If it dropped to $200 I would buy. Just outside of my comfort price zone.

Strong but smooth