This isn’t about the first pour from this bottle, it’s about the first one after the bottle opened up some. See, the first few (several) pours were good, but only one note; peanut brittle, light on the peanuts. Neat pour sitting in a tasting glass for 10 - 15 minutes. On the nose it’s apple juice, mixed citrus zest, just ripe pears, those neon cocktail cherries, and cream soda. There’s a prickly sensation that makes you wrinkle your nose. A very nice smell, if not one that brings you back to keep smelling it again and again. The first taste was baking spices, but toned down. Citrus, like orange extract, red apple, and peanut brittle (still light on the peanuts). The finish presents interesting developments, the zest becomes tart, there’s cinnamon, and cloves, ginger, and bitter tannins, like over steeped black tea. While certainly not the prize of my collection, Old Grand Dad Bottled in Bond is delicious, and inexpensive. I won’t feel bad just pouring a glass to sip, or mixing it in a cocktail, but it has enough going on that you can take some time with it neat if you want. 89/100