Would I be a jerk if I said my first reaction was "hmm, this smells like bourbon"? I could tell you the things I encountered on the nose - the caramel, the vanilla, the slight hint of spice, the suggestion of something a bit fruity. I could then go on to share how the palate tastes like the nose, with a short finish and that something about the mouthfeel reminds me of the squeak that cheese curds make when they're fresh (I live in the Midwest, what can I say). This is just...well, bourbon. A solid, very drinkable bourbon, but...well, just bourbon. It doesn't get me excited; I'll bet it makes a mean Old Fashioned, and I'm not disliking the experience of having it in my class, but I don't quite get the crazy levels of fanboy-ing that tend to be generated here...is it just rollover Pappy Effect? Regardless, a perfectly fine bourbon, if you're looking for reliability without necessarily pizazz.