As I stated in my review of Birthday 2015, I recently had a chance to do a tasting flight of '15-'16-'17, which made for an interesting comparison. Unfortunately for me, I didn't really care for any of the three. Apparently the Brown-Forman guys liked the way 2015 came out, because they specifically pulled 2016’s version from barrels near the windows that got extra sunlight. The scents that come out of this bourbon are amazing and unusual: there are intense chocolate-covered raisins, guava, Fruit Roll-ups, and earthy tobacco practically leaping from the glass. But this makes the letdown at the palate (a common theme in this flight) even more brutal and disappointing. There is too much oak again, some orchard fruits like underripe apples, and significant astringency. Some of those notes from the nose do pop up, but as distant background music, and I want them front and center in the worst possible way. The end doesn’t redeem this one, as it’s dry, astringent, and overly reliant on rye flavors. If I had to choose one, the 2016 Birthday Bourbon is the best of the three, but not by much, and mainly because of that amazing nose. I’m bemused by these whiskies because normally I don’t see myself as a fan of sweet flavors, but I’ve recently had some dry, dusty bourbons that are making me reconsider that self-assessment. These bourbons just need a touch of something sugary! I’m also bemused because I read some of the amazing reviews for these and am left thinking, are we even drinking the same whiskey?