Nose: lots of oak, leather, ground coffee, toffee, dark chocolate, with fainter hints of vanilla, pepper, and caramel. Palate: caramel and butterscotch upfront that gives way to candied fruit, leather, pepper, and baking spice. Drinks below proof (134 in my case) but you can still tell it’s a barrel proof bourbon. It has just the right amount of heat. Mouthfeel is thick and creamy. Finish: One of the longest I’ve ever had in a bourbon. The flavors linger for minutes. All the sweet flavors fade and give way to leather, oak, and dark chocolate. Overall: EXCELLENT. This is an excellent value at its MSRP of $60 and the best barrel proof bourbon I’ve had to date. I’d bet that it’s the best barrel proof bourbon you can find relatively easily. Drinking this makes me forget about the loss of the standard 12 year Elijah Craig and the fact that it’s double the price of its NAS small batch brother. This could probably benefit from a few drops of water, but it’s also fantastic neat. The oaky finish pairs well with the sweet flavors on the palate, and the heat is very manageable despite the potent proof.