Nose - butterscotch, raisin, spiced vanilla, cardamom, graham cracker, almond, walnut, pecan, plum, fig, dark chocolate, leather, cinnamon, clove, black pepper, pine, rich oak, mint, burnt toast, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - salted caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate, brownie brittle, fig, date, apricot, clove, allspice, raisin, leather, tobacco, almond, walnut, chili pepper, spearmint, spicy oak, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium long with dark chocolate, rich oak, spiced dark fruit, and baking spice flavors. Even though One Eight Distilling is located right in my backyard, I hadn’t heard of it until recently. It’s actually right across the street from Don Ciccio & Figli, which produces some delicious liqueurs. So let’s see what this DC distillery can do. The nose is intoxicating. It has everything but the kitchen sink. Chocolate, dark fruit, baking spice, and strong oak, and a nougaty nuttiness. The palate is similar, rich and spicy, with each one of the cask finishes integrating together well. This begs for a comparison to Joseph Magnus Bourbon. Both are highly finished whiskies from DC distilleries. So I’m pouring them side by side to see how they stack up. The One Eight is darker, richer, and fruitier. The Joseph Magnus actually smells closer to a standard bourbon when nosed after this. Similarly on the palate, the One Eight is darker and more brooding. I like the One Eight better in almost every way, with one exception. The mouthfeel is better on the Joseph Magnus, thicker and oilier than the thinner One Eight. Nonetheless, this is delicious whiskey. A big thank you to @pkingmartin for introducing me to the distillery and providing this sample for me to review.