Rating: 15/23 N: Wow, this is so much richer and more bourbony than regular Early Times is! I get rich caramel with cherries and woody spices. It's slightly oily and very full. It smells on the sweet side for a bourbon, but not straight-up desserty. A bit of tartness from the mash comes through, but I don't smell the alcohol or white dog directly. P: Rich, full, spicy, sweet, cherry, caramel, wood. There's a lot of vibrant, somewhat tart cherry in here. It's a very well executed flavor, though it could be upsetting for those who don't like cherry. The overall impression here is not tremendously old, but it's rich and full with adequate complexity, fully formed flavors, and terrific balance. F: The rich sweetness remains. The lingering impression is kind of like the finish on Halloween chocolates in terms of lasting sweetness. The cherry lasts and so do the wood and spices to lesser extents. Not much caramel makes it through. The finish is a bit more floral. - Conclusion - Wow, this is an amazing budget bourbon. I think that this is better than Wild Turkey 101 for less money. This is rich enough to be a great mixer or it's fine to just drink neat even. What a find! Russell's Reserve 10 tastes more complex and mature, but less full and rich. I'd say that the Russell's Reserve is a bit better as a neat sipper, but for mixing I would go with this. At half the price, I'd be prepared to put up with this as a neat sipper too. Eagle Rare 10 is also better as a neat sipper and might be better as a mixer as well. Still, this is a heck of a find. It's great for bourbon novices and can be enjoyed by afficionados too. For a mixer, this would probably be my go-to. I'm thinking a 15. Shockingly, this seems to be a much bigger improvement from regular Early Times than Ancient Ancient Age 10 Star is from regular Ancient Age, yet this is higher proof and lower cost per volume.