Review #064 Type: bourbon Proof: 44% Comments: aged 2 years, mash bill consisting of corn, barley, caramel malt, and wheat, matured in new American oak barrels, bottle originating from batch no. 30 Tasted after: first up Appearance (no score): Burnt Umber color. Swirling reveals a thick line sticking to the side of the glass, legs are slow to form. Nose: 17/20 This one need a couple minutes to open up. I always get a whiff of paint thinner immediately after pouring, but time does wonders for it. Circling back, I can’t help but think this is what a wet empty bourbon barrel would smell like if I dropped a warm apple pie into it. Its first and foremost oaky on the nose, but there’s cinnamon, apples, caramel, and even a little vanilla ice cream. It smells like dessert in a glass. Palate: 34/40 Very smooth, but none of the sweetness from the nose comes across into the palate. The dominant flavor is toast, accompanied by walnuts, molasses, bitter dark chocolate, and cinnamon. It’s sufficiently tasty and complex to be interesting without being overly sweet as I find is the case with too many bourbons. Finish: 34/40 Medium finish. Starts off hot and sweet, chili peppers mingling with apricots, a drizzle of maple syrup, and just a little vanilla, then becoming drier. The flavor of charred toast takes over and there’s some oak tannins, then ending on a mildly salty note, just the perfect amount to wet the palate and invite the next sip. With Water: A couple drops of water emphasizes the vanilla notes on the nose, and gives it an almost creamy characteristic, like homemade whipped cream. The palate is also a bit sweeter, revealing mushy baked apples and a hint of caramel. Not overpowering, just enough to complement the other more bitter elements. Also the heat of the finish is dialed back a bit, but the flavor profile otherwise remains mostly unchanged. Total: 85/100 Final thoughts: I don’t always drink bourbon, but when I do, this is usually the one I’ll reach for. It’s hands down the best bourbon for the price I’ve come across. I’ve used it on blind taste testings with friends, and when I ask people to rank their favorites, this one always places very highly. It punches way above it’s price point in terms of quality. I think this is maybe my third bottle that I’m polishing off, with a fourth already on standby. It’s a keeper for sure, you just need to remember to give it a few minutes to breath. Price: $45 Would recommend: yes Would buy: yes Scoring Legend: 96-100: The perfect dram, absolutely exceptional, nectar of the gods, I will savor this bottle and make it last, 5 stars. 90-95: Near perfect, there is something truly special about this whisky, 4.75 stars. 85-89: Very good to amazing, almost the complete product, 4.5 stars. 80-84: Quite good, very enjoyable to drink, but doesn’t wow me, 4.25 stars. 75-79: Good, enjoyable but ultimately flawed, unlikely to purchase again, 4 stars. 70-74: A solid dram, but wouldn't go out of my way to get it, 3.75 stars. 55-69: Drinkable, 3.5-2.75 stars. Below 55: Suitable for cooking or direct contribution to the kitchen sink drain, 2.5 stars or less.