The aromatics of this bourbon are quite spectacular. It’s rich, decadent and even smooth. Can a smell be smooth? If so this is it. Ripe dark fruits; cherries, plums, currants with a balanced, almost perfect touch of oak. As this whiskey breaths the smells level out and a very unique licorice scent emerges. The 8 years, 8 months resting in oak (which this particular bottle transparently reveals) results in a woody taste up front. It makes no allusions of its 107 proof, with a spicy heat that is not overpowering but not quite refined. Once the palate acclimates itself there is peppermint, chocolate, cocoa, dried fruit and mineral water notes. This whiskey feels like one that is going to reveal more and more about its character with each pulling of the cork. It’s a complex bourbon with a lot of good things going on.