Barreled 02/2014 and aged 8yrs, 3mos. Nose is vanilla, corn, sugar and oak. It’s almost candy corn until the oak arrives to offset the sweet. And the nose also foreshadows that it’s probably going to be a bit hot on the palate. And, surprise, it’s a bit hot on the palate. I should clarify here that it won’t marvel you with smoothness and that it’s a 53.5% ABV whisky, so yeah, there’s a little heat. But beneath the heat is a rich mix of vanilla, leather, caramel, sage, thyme and fennel. It starts sweet but the spices keep it in check and give balance….they keep it interesting and are what makes this also viable as a neat sipper instead of just a high-end mixer. Finish is oddly thin for the proof and age, but it’s clean, and vanilla lingers for a minute or two. Water dampens the heat and sweetens the finish but also completely wipes out the spices, and therefore I don’t recommend. Try this if you see it on the shelf, but don’t pull your hair out looking for it.