Second taste: The nose gives me alcohol and cherries. Dark, with the pits. Some nutty barrel spice in there as well. The palate begins with a beautiful display of fresh berries and then vanilla cream glides into earthy chocolate and oak. The midpalate also has some subtle smoke and coffee notes. The finish is fruity, long, and delicious. The final sip of the pour brought me back to the breakfast notes of the original Harbinger. This bourbon is all killer, no filler. First taste: On the nose, it’s noticeably more bright and fruity than the standard Harbinger barrel proof. Mixed berries greet me right away, underpinned by a bed of vanilla and caramel. Doesn’t smell too hot, not too much oak on the nose. On the palate, I get a good bit of heat up front, but as it dissipates, I’m met with more fresh berries, some floral character and a bready grainy finish. The mouthfeel is not quite as thick as other high proof Ironroot products, which is fine. The finish lingers for a mile. It feels like I mixed the mixed berry V8 V-fusion (the 100% juice kind, not that V8 Splash crap) with a sweet bourbon and a dash of toffee, and that’s what hangs out in my mouth for a while. Said plainly, it’s just dandy. I like it just as much, if not slightly more, than the original barrel proof.