Nose - toffee, vanilla cream, brown sugar, peanut butter, marshmallow, black pepper, chocolate cake, cinnamon bun, tobacco, black cherry, plum, raisin bread, rich oak, mild to moderate ethanol burn. Taste - dark chocolate, brown sugar, hazelnut, peanut butter, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, leather, sour oak, tobacco, bitter herbal notes, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium length with caramel, dark chocolate, and sour oak flavors. For the next couple days, I’ll be digging through my Santa-sized sack of samples and pulling out some one-offs that I’ve been wanting to try for a long time, but don’t fit cleanly into a review series. This was high on the list. An 11 year old brown rice bourbon. The only other brown rice whiskey I’ve tasted is the Little Book Chapter 4, and I really enjoyed that one. I’m thinking this won’t be as good, but let’s find out. The nose is dark and sweet. There’s dark chocolate and fruit, marshmallow, and a really nice yeasty, cakey aroma. The palate is similarly dark and rich, but a slightly tart, bitterness emerges. I can’t quite place whether it’s a citrusy or herbal off note, or just a youthful, underproofed quality, but it’s unwelcome and dampens an otherwise great experience. The mouthfeel and finish are also a bit thin and lacking. Overall, this is good bourbon that could have been excellent with a few minor improvements to the palate. A huge thank you to @jonwilkinson7309 for the generous sample!