For a virtual blind challenge, I decided to pull out some of my favorite bottles to see what would come out as the top and lined up Barrell 15(2021), Garrison Brothers Cowboy (2019), Lux Row 12-year Double Barrel, Proof and Wood 25 year and Lock Stock and Barrel 18 year. As we made it through the lineup, laughs were shared, a variety of tasting notes described and then lastly the decisions to rank the pours were tallied resulting in the majority choosing the Proof and Wood 25 year as best of the night. After the fun of the virtual tasting and realizing that this is the only one I have yet to rate, I decided to pour another glass and do a deep dive into this one. The nose starts with rich butterscotch with rye spices of dill and fresh baked pumpernickel bread then floral notes of honeysuckle and orange blossom along with a pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt then a mix of cereal and fruit with apple peel, caramelized peaches over vanilla gelato, lemon rind then dark chocolate covered roasted macadamia nuts followed by spearmint and very light oak spices of a whole cinnamon stick, ginger and freshly fallen autumn leaves along a hiking trail with no ethanol burn. The taste starts with a manuka honey taste and rich mouthfeel that coats your mouth starting with floral notes of honeysuckle and orange blossom along with a pinch of Himalayan sea salt then fruit notes of green apple peel, caramelized peaches over vanilla creme brûlée, lemon gum drop candy then comes chocolate syrup and toasted macadamia nuts followed by whipped buttered on top of pumpernickel bread, spearmint, ginger and freshly brewed black tea that slowly fades to antique leather armchair with light ethanol burn. The finish is long with manuka honey, honeysuckle, orange blossom, roasted macadamia nut butter, vanilla madeleine cookie, dark chocolate orange, caramelized peaches, whipped butter on pumpernickel bread, ginger, cloves, spearmint and antique leather armchair that lingers for minutes. This is an incredible whiskey that manages to bring in big, bold and rich flavors of rye, citrus, floral, cereal and old oak balanced perfectly on the nose which carries over to the taste with an incredibly rich mouthfeel with perfect balance of those same flavors before finishing long with rye, citrus, floral and old oak that pulls you back in for another taste. While exploring this one, I realized that there are a lot of similarities here to my Caledonian 40 year which is a single grain scotch, so I decided to put them in a side by side match. Side by side, the Cally is lighter and more restrained whereas the Proof and Wood is big and bold which simply rolls over the Cally making it seem watery and lacking flavor which was not the case in drinking it by itself. A simply stunning whiskey that sadly does not come cheap and is a very limited release of 500 bottles that cost between $350-500. So, if the budget can accommodate and you’re interested in trying some light whiskey, this is a solid bottle to buy.