This was truly a random grab for me. Usually I put a lot of thought into buying bottles. I bought this a long time ago, but there was no rhyme or reason to the purchase. I just bought it. Consequently, I have no expectations for it, though it was the oldest bourbon I had ever purchased (at the time.) With that in mind, let’s give Stitzel-Weller a go. Nose: Heavy, heavy, heavy oak. The age statement is unquestionable here. Pipe smoke. Clove, nutmeg, and loads of black pepper. Cocoa. Gala apple, caramel, vanilla. Fudge. Almond. Dried apricot and orange citrus. Banana walnut muffin. I mentioned both individually, but I have to throw in caramelized apple. Mint chocolate. Awesome nose. Palate: Gala apple and caramel. Vanilla. Sawdust. Dried apricot and almond. Peanut brittle. Cocoa. Black tea and a light tobacco smoke note. Orange citrus. Raisin. Strong leather note. Toffee, cotton candy, and graham cracker. Fudge. Oak. Black pepper, clove, and nutmeg. Bitter, but not in a bad way. Finish: Cocoa, black tea, and heavy tobacco smoke. Vanilla, milk chocolate, fudge, and caramel. Orange citrus and sawdust. Cotton candy. Red Hot Tamale. Black pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and, if you hadn’t already guessed, a ton of oak. Moderate-to-long finish, which is surprising considering the 43% ABV. It serves as a testament to the aging process. I’m sure many people out there have bought this for the sole purpose of using as a decanter (the IW Harper labels are literally stickers that are meant to be peeled off.) Maybe I’ll even do the same. But man is the juice inside the bottle worth the squeeze. This was an absolute steal at $90. Even more so when you consider that this a 15 y.o. That alone caused me to bump this a half star. The nose was fantastic—I have to say that again. And it holds up remarkably well considering the low proof. Awesome stuff. 4.75/5.