I opened a bottle of this over the weekend with some family and we really enjoyed the taste of this bourbon. It is smooth but not subtle. You know you are drinking bourbon but that being said it is smooth especially when a bit of water or ice is added to it. It has a sharp flavor but it softens very quickly and is similar to Henry McKenna BOB but not quite as full of flavor. We tried 3 other bourbons and this one rated the best, not wheated bourbon. Wheller 107 won the wheated bourbons. It is just under $30 in my area and it is worth a try. I have recently upgraded my score as this bourbon has gotten better since being opened.