45.4% abv Mashbill: 86% corn; 8% barley; 6% rye. Nose: OAK; toffee; vanilla; hint of dark chocolate, dark cherry & blackberry; slight clove and anise spice; did I mention oak? Palate: OAK, very woody with some bitterness; sweetness from vanilla backed by light brown sugar; salted caramel; fairly thin viscosity and delicate mouthfeel. Finish; medium-long and drying; cafe mocha and dark chocolate; cinnamon; vanilla; hint of dark fruit, orange and slight sourness. Oh, and oak. Value: at $140-200 in the U.S. = hard pass. Final thoughts: beneath the intense oakiness of this pour lies some nuance and complexity, but even the addition of water doesn’t shatter the woody bitterness quite enough, rather just enhancing the sweetness. This is a classic example of how very aged bourbon, unlike scotch, actually diminishes the quality of the experience. It’s not bad, but for the price this is a hard one to justify. While oxidization will certainly help, for the price you expect an amazing pour right away. Bottom line: there are simply too many great bourbons at half the price. Score: 2.5/5 Hard to recommend/definitely try before you buy