Nose: vanilla, burnt toast, over sweet cherries, ethanol Palate: creamy caramel and chocolate banana, followed with a hint of dried plum Finish: rye and black pepper spice, cinnamon, heavy oak char Great nose, good palate, finish is a touch harsh (even after considering abv). Seems like the high abv makes the palate much better after the first sip. This would be much higher rated if the finish lasted longer and didn’t seem like an intense amount of dry oak with black pepper. Add 3 drops of water and everything changes. The complexity of the nose is dulled and gets worse. The palate become a beauty of coffee cake, almonds and toffee. The finish turns into a slightly less char heavy black pepper and cinnamon fading to spearmint and honey. Is this better? I think the nose is worse and the palate and finish are better but the finish remains extra dry. Value: B-, I want to be clear. This is still a very good bourbon, but for living in the US, I expect an amazing bottle for over $100 and this doesn’t live up to it. If you want a bourbon that makes you feel like your teeth dig into the char of the barrel, here’s your finish.