The flavor is bitter off the bat with some sweetness and remarkable smoothness. I taste wood with a little iodine, red fruit, some walnuts, and a hint of toffee. The bitter notes fade, giving way to a sweet, creamy, and smooth finish. This is a bourbon that I would be happy to sip. The smoothness is really a wonder. This didn't quite knock my socks off, but I quickly realized that I liked it and wanted more. It tastes like it has low rye content, which makes me quite happy. Rich and surprisingly smooth. There may be some mineral notes here, but there is also plenty of vanilla and toffee with s backing of woody age. This bourbon has a flavor that immediately leaps out as being well-developed and is immensely enjoyable. It's smooth with some rich woodiness and not too much spice. It's a bit oily, but that mixes nicely with the vanilla, bits of rye tartness, and toffee. It isn't very sweet, but it is very balanced. This is rich with coffee and toffee. There is not too much spice and the proof is just about right for a drink that is not trying to be cask strength. The balance is exquisite and it does not even need to rely upon high alcohol content to round it out. There are a lot of dimensions here and although they are sometimes muddled, the net result is usually terrific. Each flavor is good and the drink is enjoyable sweet despite its rich backing. I could throw nits at it or I could just say.that it's a delight to drink. This is less rich but arguably more complex than Delord 1981, making it quite a success and a testement that drinks can taste entirely different while being the same in quality. The nose has mellow wood and chocolate with some harvest fruit. It smells smooth. The palate has some spice, but to is predominantly smooth and rich. You can taste the age here and the complexity gradually builds. There is plenty going on with chocolate, wood, toffee, just enough rye to add interest and make it a little mouth-watering, some hints of apple and cherry, vanilla, cinnamon, tiny bits of nutmeg, kind of a reference to clove, the faintest hint of allspice, and just the right amount of char. This is a masterful bourbon that sets a standard for others to strive for. Actually, Blanton's tastes like an Armagnac or maybe even a Cognac in comparison to Booker's Kitchen Table. Blanton's tastes relatively weak due to its lower ABV, but its richness and age do start to show, letting it make the case for its quality. The smokiness in Blanton's gives it a mature character, but doesn't balance as well as Booker's does. It's hard to drink Blanton's after Booker's. Russell's Reserve Single Barrel has more of a punch and some nice woody spice mixed with its cherry flavor and strong vanilla than Blanton's does, so its distinct flavors might allow it to be more generally enjoyable, but Blanton's might be more subtle.