The bourbon gods were smiling upon me one summer day a few years ago: I found two bottles of E.H. Taylor Barrel Proof in plain sight on the shelf at a local, now-closed, liquor store. They were marked $69.99. As nonchalantly as I could, I took them to the counter, and checked out at that price. Deep, clear burnt orange color. Complex nose shows an amalgamation of oiled leather, cedar, pipe tobacco, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon applesauce, oranges, pine rosin, and spearmint along with freshly split oak. Powerful, spicy heat on the palate, adding some milk chocolate before finishing with drying leather and rich, liquified vanilla cake that goes on and on. Drinking much better than the last few times I've had it. Need to do a high-test bakeoff with some BTAC and ECBP. 129.3 proof. N.B. All spirits tasted neat in a Glencairn glass.