So as a rule I like to try these a few times before reviewing, but this one is just too tempting with it being a rare to find 15 year age stated bourbon. So this is a bit more blind going in. Bias going in, I'm expecting this to be underwhelming, somewhat poorly aged, and mostly a small step up from IW Harper 15 year (a disappointing all be it wonderful nosing bourbon). Should also point out Stitzel Weller closed in 1992 meaning this would have had to have been in a steel vate since 2007, 12 years, for this to actually be 15 years old and from Stitzel Weller. The story doesn't really checkout. Nose - vanilla, caramel, leather, finished dusty wood. Very sweet, easily in the top quarter of sweet bourbon noses. There's a lot of that dusty oak, really nice for us oak fans, but I can already tell this is going to be "over oaked" for many. Taste - Vanilla really is the story here. The caramel notes from bourbon are well in the back ground as vanilla just bombards this one. There is some bitter oak on the back, giving it a spice and bit of bite. The 90ish proof is very soft and really only is noticed on the back end. Water really did nothing to the nose or taste - good or bad. Ok so verdict. It's too light up front. The sweetness from the nose doesn't come through here. The oak adds a lot of spice which is going to upset a lot of people but for an oak fan, it doesn't add the more intense leathers or that cherry note I often get. It is however clearly older whisky, it has some very nice sweet and middle of the road quality notes (middle of the road in the sense that it wasn't extreme in more shall we say "special" types of flavor such as super spicy rye notes or super sweet sugary notes). I come to for 30 bucks I can get Eight and Sand with a similar profile for 30 bucks and frankly that might be better bourbon. 2 stars - if 100 bucks is well out of your normal purchase range, this should fall to 1 star for you. It's a hard pass for all but those who want to try any and all older bourbons like myself. I was debating going 2.25 or 2.5 due to my general appreciation of the age statement there are some quality all be it muted notes.