“Grey Hen” store pick from Phoenix, AZ. OESK recipe. Aged 11 yrs, 1 month. 56.6% ABV. (Man, let me just say that pouring a “review sized” dram of this was painful. LOL.) Nose kicks into high gear with bubblegum, sweet tarts, dried apricot, pencil shavings, nutmeg, and a slight hint of barrel char. Little bit of singe right after the pour but it dissipates quickly leaving you free to huff to your heart’s content. Palate opens with soft vanilla creme, caramel, and brown sugar, morphing into strawberry and candy corn notes in the mid palate. Bright and brassy. Flavors are dense and layered. Finish brings a baking spice bloom, transitioning back to a caramel flan note bringing the whole experience full circle. A hint of mint after everything else fades. Finish is an evolution not a left turn, which I really enjoyed. And it’s loooooooong. Mouthfeel is viscous and full and is a perfect match for the flavor profile. This is fantastic. You can literally smell/taste the quality at every turn. I paid slightly over market for this at around $100, and regret absolutely nothing. To give a frame of reference, if there was another 4R barrel strength pick available for purchase today anywhere in my area I would buy it immediately. If you have a chance to score one, don’t pass it up.