The nose is herbal with spices (notably black pepper) and a faint spearmint aroma as well as earth and some old chocolate and hints of wet cardboard and suggestions of rye tartness that also bring in some sweet fruitiness, nuttiness (almond and pecan) and slight buttery toffee hints. There's a lot in the nose eventually, but the quality is mixed. Without water, there is the expected warm burn and sweetness. It's comforting and fairly rich with some nice toffee and apple and cherry notes mixed with plenty of vanilla. It's clear that there is rye flavor, but it doesn't scream it's presence. That almond does come through in a subtle way that enhances the sweetness while adding a rounded oily richness. There are herbal flavors, but they are hard to place (though they aren't exceptionally bitter). Adding water, the rich, oily nuttiness stays with almond being a very present flavor and adding to the toffee richness. There's a lot of vanilla without a huge oak taste being there. There's a little bit of a rancid flavor, but it isn't out of hand. There are interesting herbal notes that bring in spikes of bitterness and some nice licorice when enough water is added, but the final impression here is one of rich oily nuttiness with sufficient sweetness and some fruits. Rye does show up, but it doesn't overpower. This is very tasty and highly sippable. It's in the 16-17 range for its hedonism. Compared with Blanton's, this tastes less sweet and fruity. Actually, Blanton's tastes like an Armagnac or maybe even a Cognac in comparison. 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. The almond is the star here and it adds a nice toasted barrel element, bit it avoids the harsh alcohol and banana hint of Woodford Reserve Double Oak. This is kind of somewhere between Stagg Jr. and Wild Turkey Jewbillee in terms of flavor profile. It's fairly spicy with a substantial woody barrel flavor to it and plenty of vanilla, but there's also some really nice sweet red fruit with a cherry emphasis that doesn't overwhelm. The caramel seems a bit on the light side and the wood is a bit strong (though not young, to be clear), but it's still quite good. It's a close contender with Stagg Jr. and Wild Turkey Jewbillee, but it might ultimately show a tad more immaturity. The finish is a bit on the bitterly herbal, fresh wood side.