Nose - toffee, peanut butter fudge, buttercream frosting, mesquite smoke, vanilla, apple, orange blossom, honey, leather, cinnamon, nutmeg, pencil eraser, cherry, grape, sweet floral notes, grass, black pepper, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - lemon lime soda, cherry, ginger, chili pepper, butterscotch, vanilla, smoked meat, grass, honey, grape, leather, mesquite, sweet floral notes, cocoa, orange zest, pecan, clove, allspice, moderate to high alcohol bite, finishing medium length with cherry, sweet citrus, and wood smoke flavors. This is the last of my three fairly new Lost Lantern releases and my first experience with Whiskey Del Bac. The nose is complex. The BBQ smoke note is strong, but there’s also some nice fudge, ripe red fruit, and honey aromas. There’s even a hint of flinty, pencil eraser that’s reminiscent of young Springbank. The palate arrives with a one-two punch of Sprite and cherry that reminds me of drinking Shirley Temples when I was younger. The flavors quickly turn darker and more savory, evolving into BBQ meat, leather, and prickly baking spices. Following the fantastic Ironroot Republic and Balcones single casks from Lost Lantern, I feel that this is a small step down. While the flavors are fully formed and rich, it tastes younger and hotter, finishing a bit shorter and less satisfyingly than the others. Regardless, this is great whiskey, and an experience that puts Whiskey Del Bac on my radar. In fact, I’ll be reviewing the Dorado release tomorrow.