Nose: this is a really strange nose for a bourbon. On the nose it has a hint an anejo tequila. Very strange! It is rounded some sweet corn, but that anejo alcohol note is inescapable. You could argue that it is briny, but it smells like tequila to me. Palate: young and woody, spicy and drinks hotter than its 91 proof. Still smooth, a slight nutty flavor and also slightly bitter from the youth and barrel. The tequila-esque bite does show up again though. Strange! Finish: medium finish, still tasting the wood, with a sweetness on the finish. I have to say that this is slightly disappointing after tasting Nelson’s First, the two year preview batch aged in small barrels. I will let this open up for a bit and give it another go. I think barrel selection didn’t do this any favors, but there is a silver lining to this otherwise lack luster review. It is an interesting Tennessee whiskey, which is something you cannot say for a lot of the bottles in this category. At its price point of $29 to $35 it’s worth a taste. I think the Belle Meade stock is getting the best barrels and this is getting the b-stock. I think a lower entry proof, a few more years of aging, and being more selective on the barrels could do this wonders. I’m a fan of the NGB distillery and I am confident they will get this right before the national roll out. The Belle Meade line is superb and I think this will get there, eventually. Update: After letting this bottle open up for a few months I went back to it. The strange nose has dissipated although there is still a hint of the tequila smell far in the back ground. Now it it sweet, sugary maple with a nose close to brown sugar oatmeal. Much better than before. The sweetness comes through on the palate, again sugary maple, sugar cane, sweet breads, with a little bitterness, caramelized sugar, and bread on the medium short finish. You can still taste the youth of this whiskey, but it is better and more interesting than a lot of Tennessee whiskey in this price range. Probably too sweet to mix with cola or really sweet mixers. Original rating was 2.25 and I’m adjusting it to a 3.