Appearance: A beautiful dark copper, almost oak. Lovely and dark! Nice beading, good viscosity.
Nose: An amazing nose from a 4 year old spirit. Rich, deep vanilla, caramel, cherry and oak. You can almost feel the vapours wafting passed your nose.
A fair amount of spiciness too, which it needs to balance the sweetness. It’s everything you hope for, and a bit more, in a bourbon, especially at this price point. There also confectionary sugars and banana after a short while in the glass.
Palate: There’s an immediate buttery mouthfeel and a wonderful sponge cake-like vanilla, topped with cherries.
There’s also a touch of liquorice, oak, mint and maybe even lemon going on too, quite complex and ever-evolving. It’s also a floral palate, not all caramels and spice, as some ryes can be. This just has more to it than the standard.
Finish: Long, a real Kentucky hug! Warming, full of spice, caramel and a touch of that liquorice and mint.
