I'm a huge fan of the Jim Beam Small Batch collection. Needless to say, I was excited to see new blood in the lineup. Not to mention, the folks from Suntory apparently had some influence in this one. Should be a good one. Nose: Unlike any bourbon I've had before. If it weren't for the heavy dusty corn note, I'd say it was reminiscent of a single malt scotch. Raisins, fig, date, cranberry; the wine/sherry cask finish is evident. There is also caramel, gala apple, maple, toffee, crumb cake, peanut brittle, roasted nuts, toasted almond, and oak. Cinnamon and black pepper. Even mango, which is a first for me. Awesome. Palate: Sweet and jammy. Specifically strawberry jam. I also get raspberry, cherry, and plum, along with more of the raisin, fig, and date. Concord grape. Some honey, vanilla, caramel, and brown sugar to remind me that this is in fact a bourbon. Some leather, baking spice, and more of those nutty and oaky notes. Very nice. Finish: Moderate-to-short in length. Red fruit from the wine/sherry influence. Raspberry, cherry, apple. Cinnamon and black pepper. A nice touch caramel, baking spice, and oak. You can hardly tell that this clocks in at 47% ABV. Not as exciting as the palate or the nose, but it does nothing to detract from a great experience. Another winner for the Beam SB series, and a superb first output from the Beam-Suntory as collaboration. It hits all the marks. It's completely unique, soundly executed, and a great value for your dollar. I paid $40 for this and I feel like I made off like a bandit. Hopefully this is the beginning of a great new partnership between two formidable distillers. Business and politics aside, I think this proves that a cross-pollination of whiskey culture and craftsmanship can yield amazing results. Often times, when ownership of a distillery changes hands, the quality tanks. However, the quality of the existing Beam lineup has remained in tact; and now, we have this gem. Buy with confidence. Impressive stuff.