Pick by Davidson County ABC; Named "Hickory Tree Series No. 12" Barrel No. ZIHO Age 7 years 60.76% abv; 121.52 proof Open 2 weeks Nose - Sweet corn and cereal mash, honey roasted peanuts, peanut brittle, maraschino cherry, orange peel, caramel, butterscotch, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, toasted marshmallow, light oak, and medium ethanol. Palate - Peanut brittle, salted peanut shells, buttery grilled corn, mineral water, classic bubble gum, grilled peaches, cherries, black pepper, toasted oak, and rye-heavy baking spices. Finish is medium-long with clove, nutmeg, vanilla bean, peanuts, black pepper, oak tannins, and medium ethanol. Initially I would've scored this a 2.75, but I've never changed my mind on a bourbon this quickly. I wanted to buy something special for my birthday that I don't normally buy, but also wouldn't be a disappointment. My first choice was a Booker's, which is a little too pricey to buy regularly but is something I know has a high floor. Surprisingly 3 stores didn't have it, so I settled on this Barrell pick from one of the best ABC stores in NC. They have a great selection and do a lot of store picks that get favorable reviews. When I opened this Barrell SiB I was very disappointed. I thought it was a close cousin to the overrated Noah's Mill for double the price with similar sour mash/corn notes. I was disappointed enough that I bought a Wild Turkey Rare Breed 3 days later on my birthday because I knew that would never let me down. But then the sour notes from this Barrell began to wear off and resemble a really fantastic high rye bourbon from MGP combined with the sweet corn flavors from Wilderness Trail. The best indicator of the quality of this bottle is how damn drinkable it is. I've been reaching for this over almost everything on my shelf during the last 2 weeks of watching college basketball. I do not taste the proof at all. If it wasn't $100 I would definitely try more Barrell SiBs. These are flavors I don't get from most of my bourbon purchases.