It starts off on thin notes of oak and vanilla. Sitting with the whiskey longer, peppercorn and rye spice appear along with a more oak notes. A hint of brown sugar tries to add a bit of balance, lower proof (86) probably kill the deeper flavors. No bite and very smooth though. Calumet Farm Small Batch Bourbon tries to differentiate itself in the marketplace by using a 15 year bourbon in their small batch blend. It’s prominently stated on the front of the bottle before its 8 year old bourbon component. This would lead one to believe that the blend contains a large amount of 15 year old bourbon. However, the sip suggests otherwise. Average at best and cost on the higher side of an average bourbon. Guaranteed to be mainly 8 yr old with a smattering of 15 yr old.