Pro-tip -- if you're in New Orleans, Avenue Pub has about a third of a bottle of this, and a pour is $17.25. Promise of Hope is probably the best non-barrel proof bourbon I've ever enjoyed, with a virtuoso level of harmony and balance among its boatload of classic bourbon scents and flavors: caramel, butterscotch, toffee, smoky oak, orchard fruit, leather, vanilla, cream, maple syrup, and rye spice. It really is everything to love about bourbon, revealing itself gradually in stages, and with a thick, luxurious texture. The finish is an overnight house guest in terms of how long it stays, with some interesting notes of licorice, anise, spice, and eucalyptus. This bottle is close to impossible to find now, and egregiously expensive at $500 or more, but it is near the pinnacle of the whiskey world. I wasn't experiencing any unique or surprising flavors for much of the experience, however, which is the sole flaw that keeps it from ascending to A+ territory.