Light amber and heat. Sawdust and peanuts right out of the neck but that seems expected for most newly opened bottles - then milk chocolate, toffee, allspice and oak char. And more heat. Medium body on the palate, no bite but instead a building heat and exploration of flavors that comes and goes quickly. A second whiff and more floral notes shine through. Another sip sends in layers of aged oak, allspice, cloves and cherry-orange bitters. The finish is medium long and strikes a balance between oak and spice, clove and a bit of chocolate. What it isn’t: - for the faint of palate - vegetal or chemical - nutty or tannic - especially balanced What it is: - robust with a building heat - well layered with spice and wood - balanced and evolving - readily available This could be a good sub for the evermore mythological Stagg Jr, but toned down from 11 to more of an 8. It’s not quite as sweet or fruity as a Russel reserve but shows a bit more oak and clove. in ways it really reminds me of Remus Reserve III for the clove and almost cedar notes. It lacks the back and forth finish of an ECBP but does bounce around on the tongue and palate. So, so good. ———— About 1/3 of the way down this is just fantastic. Remus III again comes to mind but this may be a tad more enjoyable. It’s complex, it’s satisfying, it’s available... it’s just amazing. To drink this against Bardstown Discovery 3... the Turkey DNA is so prominent. The Bardstown has a bit more powdered sugar sweetness. Honestly I prefer the rare breed and at almost $100 difference I would take 3 rare breed and be incredibly happy. I just can’t get over how good this is (and how mad I am for overpaying for sourced whiskey).