Finally had me some Pappy! Was out with a friend yesterday, and saw Pappy 12 and 15 on their shelf. I opted for the 12 year. It was THE best price per pour I'd ever seen. So it was now or perhaps never. More often than not, the liquid doesn't live up to the hype. But I can confirm that the hype is real on this one. Pappy is the real deal... Some of the notes I quickly took down: Nose: No alcohol whiff to speak of; Butterscotch(!). Palate: Syrupy mouth feel; Almond/Marzipan; slight sweetness; Spice — as in actual spice, and not "tingly spice". I gave my friend a sip, and he got "fruity" — as in "apricot". I don't think I got that. But it just goes to show we all have different palates. Interestingly, I checked the expert review, and indeed "pitted fruit" was mentioned. This is smooth and mellow stuff, while being complex and flavorful at the same time. The finish was medium-long with mellow spices lingering. I've yet to give any bourbon I've tried 5 stars. But this is one of the highest ratings I've ever given here. I'm not going to pay the crazy secondary market prices that I see online and at local liquor stores. But after tasting this for the first time, I'm actually going to make an effort to find this bottle at a relatively "reasonable" price. If not, I'll simply go back to the establishment and have another glass for 25 bucks. LOL. Added 4/11: I just took a closer look at the expert review, and realized that this isn't actually Pappy. This is the, "Didn't Quite Make the Cut" Pappy. But if this is any indication as to how good actual Pappy is, then damn! I've got to find me some Pappy.