Nose - rich toffee, vanilla, brown sugar, roasted peanut, black pepper, carameized banana, coffee, cocoa, cinnamon, leather, clove, cola, apple, cherry, tobacco, strong oak, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - toffee, butterscotch, vanilla, peanut butter, strong oak, burnt brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, clove, dark chocolate, black pepper, apple, black cherry, leather, tobacco, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium long with toffee, creamy peanut, apple, and baking spice flavors. Is it Beam? Is it Heaven Hill? Is it Barton? Maybe we’ll never know. Who cares. This bourbon is tasty. Its old age is very present, with deep, rich oak dominating the entire experience. Those quintessential American notes immediately make themselves known. Caramel, vanilla, peanut, apple, cherry, baking spices. They’re all here and richer, more well integrated than in more youthful whiskies. The texture is full and luxurious, coating the mouth completely, leading to a satisfyingly long finish. This particular sample is pulled from Batch 8, bottled at 57.1%. If I had to find some fault here, I’d say it’s probably past it’s prime, with oak starting to play a more commanding role than it should. Also, there’s a bit of sourness on the mid palate and into the finish. It’s not off putting, but noticeable nonetheless. Maybe bottling at a higher proof or a younger age would make a positive difference. I poured this next to my current favorite ECBP, the B520 batch. I like the Elijah Craig better, albeit not tremendously. It’s punchier, fruitier, and spicier, lacking the slight sourness of the Doc Swinson as well. They share many of the same qualities, but the ECBP is a notch above in most ways. Maybe I’m just a sucker for the higher proof. Who knows. Overall, the Doc Swinson is great and will likely satisfy most bourbon palates. However, there are better bourbons for the money, at least for my tastes. A big thank you to @jonwilkinson7309 for the sample. I likely wouldn’t have had the opportunity to try this otherwise.