To the victor goes the spoils. This match was Boone County 1833 10 year Sauternes barrel select vs Jefferson’s grand selection (Sauternes). Winner of this is my favorite Sauternes cask finish bourbon, having beaten out Amador Double Barrel and Hillrock (Sauternes). There was no point in doing this blind. I would’ve had to do this in the dark, because after having seen what this Boone County looks like in a glass, it’s just noticeably darker. Both of these also have a signature taste, so I know what to expect. Also, I’ve already tried these before in depth on distiller, so this is just an abbreviated update. For the nose, I prefer BC. To sum up each one quickly, BC is raisin/cherry, Jefferson’s is gummy bears/jelly. The body of BC is seriously good. It wins hands down. BC = sangria, Jefferson’s = more damned gummy bears/grape jelly. The finishes are similar. They both have a dry raisin sendoff, and I believe this to be an inheritance from the Sauternes. The Jefferson’s is noticeably smoother, but the BC has some extra heat and cinnamon too, which I appreciate. I’d give this to BC, but slightly less confidently than in the other two categories. Takeaway 1: Guys & gals, this Boone County finish is seriously good. As a huge fan of bourbon, I can’t think of too many bottles I’d be more excited about getting a chance to grab another of. To the best of my knowledge, there were only 61 bottles of this produced. It is phenomenal, so that is unfortunate. If you happen to find one of these is out there in the wild, you owe it to yourself to grab it. I paid $130 for this bottle. I’d pay $250 for another. In all seriousness, I’d entertain trading a Stagg for another bottle of this. It’s truly special. Takeaway 2: I don’t get Jefferson’s. They definitely have a signature juice profile, I just don’t understand why they went with it. It’s definitely not my bag, but if you’re into the Jefferson’s flavor profile, I think you should grab this bottle. The Sauternes finish amplifies that signature Jefferson’s profile, which could be a good thing for some of you, but IMO when matched against something as stellar as this BC, its flaws become that much more conspicuous. —— Current results: Sherry Champion - WT Revival Sauternes Champion - BC 1833 10 year I think I’ll finish up the port bracket next.