“Civilization begins with distillation” – William Faulkner

Soft notes, slight hints of wood (oak) and a spicy rye note are in there. There’s something in there that reminds me of the old Wilson Leather stores…not so intense but a hint of leather.    

Spice (rye) and oak lead the short parade of flavor. After the 2nd and 3rd sip I begin to get hints of spicy tobacco, leather and caramelized oak. The linger of the finish dries the cheeks but leaves a sweet, salivating vanilla on the lips, or at least the front part of the mouth. An interesting sip. 

Nice color, classic of what you think bourbon to look like with its luscious amber appearance. The nose is soft, borderline average with distinct hits of vanilla and caramel; and a subtle hint of marshmallow. Moderate body the fills the mouth. There is a low burn covered up by the sweetness of caramel. Slight oak with hints of cedar end in the finish. This is bourbon. 

Breaking away from its traditional high rye mashbill with the use of wheat we have a nice bourbon with a honey-like appearance. The nose on it reminds me of spring time with honeysuckle and hints of orange blossom. There may even be some of that fresh cut grass wafting throughout. The body is full and coats the palatte with a sweetness like that of molasses and caramel. A short finish with hints of grass and residual sweetness around the lips. An enjoyable sipper! 

Corn and leather lead the way on the nose. These notes soon evolve into some “earthy” notes, similar to mushroom and finishes with hints of smoke. Flavor isn't much different than the smell.   

There’s a lot of corn that leads the way. The layers are not as deep as what some may expect from a bourbon. Definite sweetness (corn) and a clean finish that ends quickly. 

Maple syrup!! There are hints of rye on the back end. Each sniff builds more and more of an image of blueberry pancakes with maple syrup. Intrigued. 

There are dominant sweet notes that lead the way: brown sugar and molasses. The spice notes are subtle but they’re there. Nutmeg and cinnamon come out and combine with the molasses notes creating tasting profiles similar to a popular “spiced rum”. 

The common vanilla that comes with good bourbons, with hints of fruits: pears and apples. There’s a bit of anise that wafts throughout.

This was just a multi-layered sip that begins with one thing and settles on something all too familiar. Obvious notes of caramel and vanilla are there but with a hint of banana taffy. After another sip or two, I start to get notes of popcorn, including butter. It finally settles on the familiar notes of Cracker Jack caramel popcorn mix.

Delicious aromas that hit my nose and immediately activates a memory with me. I am camping with my grandparents. My Grandfather is teaching me the "art of roasting marshmallows"; and, how it will help me "woo the ladies." S'mores! Chocolate, marshmallow, graham cracker and slight campfire all on the nose. 

The palate doesn't disappoint. It coats the mouth effortlessly and fills it with notes of pecan pie: spices, caramel, the body, and even notes of pastry that come at the end. Amazing!

The barrel pick for Golden Promise (in Paris), the speakeasy associated to La Maison du Whisky. A legitimate unicorn!!
The nose is direct: cotton candy!
 

Wow. Maybe it was because it was the Golden (Promise) Unicorn among unicorns but this thing was D-E-L-C-I-O-U-S!! And, for that, I don’t care if it was the placebo affect or not. It immediately hits the palate and entrenches the mouth. Caramel, of course. Baked Apples. Toffee – brown sugar, burning. Tail end becomes a flaky, buttery, pastry.

At 130.3 proof, I approached slowly for the nose. I was greeted with soft cotton candy. You know the smell as you approach the cotton candy booth? After it dissolved to something similar to maple syrup. 

It hits the palate and coats it like a teaspoon of honey. It pushes itself around the mouth. Crème brûlée with its delicious vanilla custard and toasted sugar. Finishes smooth. 

The nose hits you with bits of black pepper, baking chocolate and hints of dark, dried fruit like raisins. Inviting. 

In my initial sips I get bits of anise that soon lead to pepper notes that spark the front of the palate. Sweetness and caramel begin to take over just when you think the pepper may become too much. When it’s all said and done, I’m left reminded of the Rolo candies, by Hershey 's.

 The nose comes off with the traditional: toasted sugars, vanilla, caramel. But, with this there are hints of soft mint, brown sugar and dried fruit: raisins and cherries.

The palate is traditional, at first, with sweetness, caramel and vanilla. Dried cherry and raisins are present but soft and peripheral. 

Caramel, oak, and vanilla are all prevalent on the nose at the beginning. Hints of spiced tobacco begin to evolve and then transfer to more of a charred citrus or orange note. 

Full, rich body makes coating the mouth easy. There are hints of anise that shifts to baking spices. Dried tobacco leaf is in there somewhere. Hints of citrus strike the palate, as well.

Vanilla and caramel traditional to bourbons lead the way in the nose. This evolves into some orange notes with toffee and brown sugar. 

Warm, sweet caramel enters the palate followed by notes of spice. Gentle wood notes help control the help and insure a proper finish. 

Staying true to the line, vanilla and brown sugar enter the nose. Soft notes of marzipan follow with floral and oak notes. 

This bourbon comes in and hugs the tongue. Brown sugar, baked spices and some heat are all layered together. Leather accents make for a nice finish. 

Sweet grass and vanilla with soft creams and hints of caramel apple on the nose.

Light toffee with what starts off as some type of sweet bread. As it opens up and I revisit it with more sips it finally hits me – banana nut bread fresh from the oven with melted butter on it. 

Green apple, some grass notes and sweet notes. The more I sniffed on it the more and more it came out like Applejack cereal. 

The nose is fast and distinct: cinnamon and apple come on fast and ends with some caramel notes. 

Vanilla and spice that yields to some grass and hay. After it opens up a bit there is a little mint and toffee. 

Spice notes and vanilla begin. As I sipped on it more I got notes of a sweet candy. Took a second but impressions of a brittle toffee with spice notes evolved. The finish was nice, clean – hints of earthy notes like cut grass and leather make way for a nice, crisp finish. 

The nose is soft. It actually begins with a little of an alcohol / acetone note that morphs to some vanilla and becomes sweet, almost reminding me of a Coke float. A reminder that bourbon is a patient liquid. It takes time to age, evolve and mature. Sometimes a little more time to open up can make all of the difference.

The palate is warm with hints of cherries, cedar and finishes with some robust leather.

Wood, cedar notes, citrus and grain merge together in the aroma. 

Dry, tannic, leathery and OAK! Lots of OAK. 23 years in the barrel has beat this juice up. 

I added a couple splashes of filtered water and revisited it after it opened up. It came alive with emerging cherry notes. Interesting in the change in flavor. I didn’t hate it. 

The nose has traditional hints of vanilla and caramel. These are accompanied with some spice notes, cinnamon. 

On the palate there are notes of sweetness, bits of caramel (like Werther's) and hints of spearmint. The finish has some slight spice notes, borderline dry or tea like. 

By the end of it I'm reminded of a sweet Southern tea with a sprig of spearmint. 

Love this!

Spice notes that consist of nutmeg and clove with slight hints of a maple syrup. 

Slight heat followed by some sweeter notes and anise. Caramel begins to float in with hints of mint. A nice clean finish with a little spice that resides, enough to make me want another sip. 

The 2018 George T. Stagg coming in at 124.9 proof. 

Rich vanilla and caramel lead the way followed by jam (jelly?) notes, perhaps a bit of raisin or dried cherry.

Creamy, butterscotch – like a melting Werther’s candy. It fades away on the mouth like a piece of shortbread that dissolves slowly leaving residual sweetness. The finish is a soft spice with hints of cedar. An amazing sip. 

Vanilla and oak with hints of hay. The dominant grain comes out as well: CORN. This note I believe is what brings on the memory of hay, or a barn. Pleasant aroma overall.

Spice comes out with the caramel and vanilla. It brings thoughts of that bite and sweetness of raspberry tea. Simple and easy finish. It leaves a savory note that leaves me wanting another sip.

Mahogany and cedar come to the nose at first. Notes of dried fruit, possibly cherry, are accompanied with hints of vanilla.

The fruit notes don’t disappoint with the flavor on the palette. I’m reminded of those shortbread cookies with fruit jelly drops in the middle. Sweet and delicate pastry notes lead way to a nice, clean finish.

Corn, vanilla, hints of rye bread. Fresh country farm air. 

Spice of the rye comes on quickly with hints of smoky, leather. Sweetness on the mouth follows with the traditional caramel notes with bits of sea salt and vanilla. Nice clean finish reminding me of brown sugar. The spice of the rye lingers on the lips after the sip is gone. It lingers in the corner of the mouth inviting another sip.

Caramel, toffee and some subtle walnut notes.

The moment you take a sip there is just an explosion of flavors. Sweet caramel and butterscotch, hints of salt (lightly), and then it emerges into some drier floral notes ranging from honeysuckle to sweet grass. The finish is nice, enjoyable, and begs for another sip.

The nose reveals sweeter notes for sure, to be expected from the wheated mash bill. Hints of honey, baking spices, vanilla, and caramel are prevalent. 

As I took sips of this whiskey the sweetness of honey and sweet grass (soft wheat) came across. Smooth vanilla and caramel are there, not too sweet just nice. 

The nose is simple and direct:   

All spice with a bit of new car leather.

Roasted nuts to the point of a dry feel. Spicy, earth notes begin to take over and finishes with hints of baking chocolate.

The nose is very soft and delicate. Their are slight hints of vanilla, cherry and wood. It has a real inviting aroma.

The palate comes on initially with cherry and a syrup feel. It reminds me of the Luden's Wild Cherry Cough drops. The more it opens up the more this evolves into a cherry filled tart or turnover. I can even taste the sugar crystal toppings. A warm finish on the tongue with some nice baking spices.

Sometimes you don't need a lot of words or profiles to make an impact. 

This comes in at 84.8 proof. Its easy on the nose and palate. 

Pepper spice with hints of honey and vanilla on the nose. 

Butterscotch and spice with hints of citrus.

Initially, I got spicy notes with soft caramel, hints of floral notes and what I could only call marshmallow – until a friend announced he got Big League Chew out of it. And, it was hard for me not to agree. Dang. Whiskey is crazy how it can invoke so much!!

Sweet caramel comes across, as you’d expect. There are some herbal notes that lead my memories to recall sarsaparilla. It has a nice enjoyable finish.

Vanilla, brown sugar, herbaceous and floral notes.

Caramel, butterscotch and spice. There are hints of dried cherries towards the back. It’s a great balance of sweet and spice. 

The nose gives way to grass notes that evolve into sweet honeysuckle. The traditional vanilla of bourbon follows with hints of spice. 

The palate is hit with notes similar to sweet Southern tea. However, as more sips are done there are hints of cherry and spice with a little heat that is tamed by the nature of the wood. 

Strong aromatics: dark cocoa, vanilla, leather, cedar and spice. 

Flavors are so layered: sugar drops, caramel, cream, crushed nuts. It, actually, reminds me of those last few bites of a sundae that has melted down: cream, caramel, chocolate, nuts, etc. 

Cherry, cocoa (chocolate covered bourbon cherries?), caramel and toffee all layer across the nose. 

Dynamic: Cocoa, leather, vanilla, with a middle note that comes across like fruit jam (cherry?). A finish that lingers with a delight of peppers, leather and delicate wood spice.

Can I afford to drink this every day? Oh?! I can!!

What a great daily sipper!!

Bonded no less!!

Spice, mint, subtle sweetness from vanilla and caramel on the nose. 

Vanilla and caramel lead the way. Hints of peppery spice soon follow. The heat begins to rise and then leather notes come to life to tame the spicy burn. 

Wheat bread, sweetness, grassy notes of fresh hay. “Woodshed on a farm with fresh apples” comes to mind. Weird, but it’s what memory comes to mind.

Little work is needed on the palate. This liquid races across the mouth coating it all. Oily. Wood (oak) wrapped in honeysuckle, and the more it sits the more caramel notes wake up. There are slight notes of molasses and the finish is smooth and sends an invitation for another sip. 

The nose carries orchard fruit notes: apples and pears with some honey and vanilla. 

Flavors follow suit with the nose. There is apple, cinnamon, other baked spices and vanilla. I can't help but be reminded of a hot apple pie. 

This Tennessee Rye comes in at 121.8114 proof. 

Honeycomb with hints of white pepper spice come off the bat. There are hints of anise that show up and are followed by the smell of a fresh box of gooey raisins being opened. 

Sweet caramel and spice that yields to cut grass and lemon rind. The second and third sip take the crispness of grass and fruit and emerges with fresh cut apples, Granny Smith. 

The spice of the rye comes off with notes of hay followed by some vanilla. There is something else that lingers, and I can’t say that for me it was too inviting. Chemical-like. Acetaldehyde?

Hints of black pepper mingle with some notes of over ripe fruit. The finish is dry with bits of grass and oak. 

Part of the Whiskey Baron line, I didn't really know what to expect. I would be surprised and delighted.
 

The nose has the traditional corn and hints of rye. This emerges into the more traditional vanilla and caramel. It rounds out with hints of nutmeg, clove and citrus (orange peel).

The palate is oily and fills the mouth. Caramel notes melt away into rich butterscotch and hints of shortbread. The finish has slight cotton candy to it.

Initial notes were strong herbal scents, possibly anise and mint. By my second and third smell this turns to, southern tea with mint. Light but appealing.

Pepper and rye spice hit the palate on the first taste. When I went back for the second, which I always prefer, it begins to sweeten up. Vanilla, almost sugary like cotton candy dissolving on the tongue. There’s a definite maple note that accentuates with the finish accompanied with baked spices like nutmeg and a hint of cinnamon.