Spirits of French Lick: Lee W Sinclair 4 Grain Bourbon BIB 100 proof 4 yrs aged Nose: lightly sweet and inviting. It’s very mash forward for a bourbon. The notes of the grains and the yeast stand out above the more classic barrel notes you typically associate with bourbon. Malted wheat, toasted oats, soft corn, tupelo honey, maple syrup, light brown sugar, buttered crusty bread, cardamon, ginger, a hint of nutmeg. There’s a light note of peach and baked apples with cinnamon. Strawberries in a bed of greens. Cola and sassafras. Mint. This one begs for more time in the glass because with every passing minute new pleasures unfurl themselves from the glass. There’s a density to the core like a rich sweet molasses cake just inviting you to dig deeper. The notes are layered together, nothing incongruent or out of place. Working around the rim of the glass, top to bottom, side to side, unfolds fruity esters changing to grain and cereal notes. Palate: there’s an unexpected creaminess for the 100 proof. The mouthfeel is somewhat like a brandy. It just coats the mouth in loveliness. Honey scores first with brown sugar and dense bread notes rounding third. Bread like you expect from a French country baker. Apple turnovers. The notes rise to a crescendo on the swallow. Peaches with spices of candied ginger and white pepper explode on the back of the throat. The proof returns to wrap you in a warm reminder that it’s a 100 proof bourbon. But it’s not unpleasant at all. There’s a little candy corn note that dances around and even a splash of cherry that presents like Kirsch to me. Finish: long and spicy with a little sprig of mint, orange cream, pickled ginger. It’s welcome to hang out for as long as it pleases. This is a fantastic example of the distillers art. Craft bourbon done right. It’s imminently drinkable and approachable, but you can get as nuanced as you desire and it will tease you further on your journey. This is why Craft Whiskey is King. This is one part daily drinker and one part Saturday night get lost in leather and fire and deep thoughts.