I have a bottle of this which I bought for $250, but I had a chance to try a pour last week as well, while I was away on a business trip to Denver. I was quite surprised to see it sitting pretty at eye level in the hotel bar. Got myself a pour and had it while developing a slide deck on taking 6 operating centers into 3 regional centers. Fun. So..this pour bought back memories. Back at Univeristy of Michigan, I dated this one girl, we’ll call her “A”. She was old money. Extremely wealthy parents. She lived off campus in an amazing apartment that she owned (her logic, and she was right, was that she’d be better off owning and selling when she graduates). I lived in a dorm, working as an RA to make ends meet while my tuition was covered by scholarship. She drove a BMW, while I drove a Huffy 10 speeder. So, one day she calls me at 3am. “I’m coming over now. It’s urgent, I need to tell you something. And you’ll need to sit down for it”, while sobbing away. I’m thinking “damnit. Okay, so she’s pregnant. I have 3 more years to go, and I’m sure I’ll get a job...we’ll get married, and it’ll be fine”. But no...I’m freaking out thinking it’ll be 3 years of hell with two college kids going through classes and taking care of a new born. I’m sweating a storm and sh%*ing bricks. Do I need a third job? Will her dad cover us? Hell, I can sell my Huffy for a set of diapers. And her Beamer can probably get us one year of formula. Okay, So...she comes over, sobbing and crying. I’m ready to get the news of “congrats...you’re the baby daddy”. Instead...” I need to tell you something. I’m not a pre-med major. I’m not even in college. I’m just taking my dad’s money, and spending it. I’m living a lie...and I needed to come out clean to you”. I give a huge sigh of relief...a world of burden suddenly comes off my shoulder. I mean, I knew she wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer (She couldn’t point out where my lungs were...which was a bit concerning for a pre-med ), but I figured she was just bottom of her class. Anyway...this whiskey bought back those memories. I went in expecting this hard oaky hit, like being hit with a 2x4. It’s a 30th anniversary...I’m sure there’s gotta be some old liquid there. I went in thinking I’m going to be hit with tannins and wood. It’s gonna be strong. Good thing I’m already sitting down for it. But maybe I shouldn’t be working on corporate consolidations...might axe off some poor shmuck for being in the wrong 3x3 grid. Afterall, the nose indicated to me that I’m gonna get hit. It was as if I’m taking a stroll in a lumber yard. But, the palette was all soft landing. Black truffles, butterscotch, caramel. No sign of that lumber yard. Really well done. Glad to have bought a bottle. And “A”...to close it out...I wonder if her charades continued through her “ med school”, “residency”, and “attending”. I should look her up...