Big fan of the brand; due to the price of this bottle, I assumed age = smoothness. But this is actually much more complex than the other Nearest editions. If you're a fan of less bite on your bourbon, throw in an ice cube or opt for the 1856 batch. I'm glad to have tried it as it tends to be hard to get, but I can't drink it straight (which I need the ability to do if I pay over $100 for whiskey.)