Nose: Classic bourbon. Brown sugar, vanilla, oak. Char visits the party but it's not center stage. Small thread of rye spice - nutmeg, dill, star anise, dried basil. Warm buttered whole wheat toast. Simple fruit notes - cherry, banana, strawberry. Roasted nuts. Dusty corn. Again, just classic. Palate: Dusty corn up front, followed by vanilla, brown sugar, and oak. Slightly creamy - caramel comes to mind. Roasted peanuts. Cherries, strawberries, maybe even blackberries coming in. Cinnamon, leather, tannin, and chocolate. Maduro cigar tobacco. Finish starts off with a wash of red apples, nutmeg, caramel, and vanilla. It then builds into a vanilla cream with citrus and ethanol. Everything slowly coasts into a tannic leather and vanilla-scented lotion note, but in the best way possible. Other notes: Elijah Craig demonstrates that price is not reflective of quality whatsoever. Every bottle I've purchased reminds me that there's great bourbon to be had at any price point. This stuff is incredibly balanced, and though it's not necessarily the most complex whiskey on the market, it's certainly punching well above it's weight. This, Evan Williams BiB, Wild Turkey 101, and a few other choice bottles tend to find their way into my cart at the grocery store, and I am never disappointed.