This @josamagnus Cigar Blend was opened purely to share a sample before I ever had a chance to try it myself! I'm correcting that tonight and finally giving this the full tasting it deserves. I've really been liking a lot of the things I have been trying from Joseph Magnus lately. I just recently finished my bottle of the flagship triple cask finish batch 100 which actually got better and better with air; I think I'd have bumped that previous review score if it had been later on in the bottles maturity. Let's see how the "James Bond" batch of cigar blend stands up tonight! Company on Label: Jos. A. Magnus & Co Whiskey Type: Finished Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 119.26° Age: NAS (13 to 20 years) Further identification: Batch 31, "James Bond"; Bottle 322/375. Nose: Meaty, salty and briny. This reminds me of Booker's Country Ham on the first nosing. High level there is a significant influence from either the Armagnac or the cognac cask finishes. I noticed it as soon as the bottle opened - it was an intense wave of dusty oak. Still so savory and robust. There's some deep, worn leather notes rested well. This has a really heavy nose-feel to it. It sits in the glencairn and doesn't want to move much. Now some sherry tannin shows up and brings forth some other jam-ready fruits like fig and raspberry. Butter and pepper. Cloves and copper. Very dusty and the proof makes itself apparent on deep inhales. This definitely has quite a bit of oak, but it's many different kinds mixing together, so it doesn't come across as overbearing necessarily. Let's see how a sip opens things up. The herbal side of thing opens up well now with tobacco also coming through. The copper metallics from earlier are also more pronounced and the meaty barbeque quality is also there. Brown sugar. Malt and vanilla. Late in the glass a lovely honey thick sweetness has formed on the nose. Confectionary sugar and a very unique vanilla mixed with some light herbal notes form a lasting impression of something fresh and new. Palate: Whew! A creamy mouth feel at first is immediately followed with some intense cherry hots spice. There is strawberry jam and loads of caramel coming across my tongue now. It then settles into a nutmeg and vanilla spiced banana dessert I can't quite place as being something that exists in common use. Plum, clove, allspice, leather, molasses and date jam are a wholesome medley of quite robust flavors. Chocolate lingers long on the back end of my last sip. Mmm this is definitely one you love coming back to as each sip is just as intense, building and rising as the last. Quite a bit of fruit sweetness continues to proliferate throughout this glass. Now the creamier side of things is developing with vanilla extract and pear going much easier on my tongue. Suddenly this feels more elegant than it started. The legs are impossibly long on the side of the glass; holding on all the way up to where they left my lips. The last sip is a bittersweet farewell to cinnamon, plum, and vanilla. Rating: 4/5 This pour accomplishes exactly what it set out to do: provide a robust, exotic and enjoyable whiskey experience. I have certainly never tasted anything quite like it and revel in my opportunity to enjoy it with good company moving forward! If you have a cigar pairing idea for this one, please drop it in the comments!

Four Roses Friday is upon us! It's been a long week and I felt like I deserved this pour tonight. Hoping it hits the spot. Fun story about this one, a few local whiskey heads got to go down to Kentucky with Ken Gordon to do this pick. They documented their trip well and many of us lived vicariously through their pictures. Some information from the trip: For this particular pick in June 2021, we were presented with 10 barrels and 10 recipes to choose from, we knew this tasting was going to be difficult. Now as everyone should know by now, Gordon’s does every pick blind. Meaning we do not ask for an age, proof, warehouse location, mash bill, or tasting notes, to ensure our mind and palates aren't influenced by any one of these factors. As we were thieving samples from the cask and lining up all these amazing whiskies, based on our noses alone, we knew two of these barrels stood out right away. After tasting through the lineup and discussing what the top three barrels were, it was a unanimous decision - OESV 10yr5m 124.2 Proof! What makes this barrel completely unique is that it is the first barrel to come from the location of PN-8-6D with this particular distillate run. This barrel was slated to be a Master Distiller Gift Shop release but Master Distiller Brent Elliott was kind enough to throw it into our line up to see if we would pick it out. Thanks Brent! Thanks once again to the @BarrelProofCollective team, Jason Weaver @IronDram, Jen Regan @ChasingBourbon, and Erich Oliveira @TheBourbonDen, and my good friend and Kentuckian Tim Adair for helping with this pick. I thank the picking team too! Now let's see what I think of it (as one of the lucky few who were able to get one!). Company on Label: Four Roses Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 20% Rye, 5% Malted Barley Proof: 124.2° Age: 10 years (5 months) Further identification: Warehouse PN, Barrel No. 8-6D. Recipe: OESV. Distilled Dec. 22, 2010, Barreled Jan. 10, 2011, Bottled July 8th, 2021. Nose: Incredibly rich caramel can be smelled from a ways away from the glass. Corn sweetness and dusty old oak muster up a rich, classic profile. Vanilla bean, allspice and faint dried cherries. Incredibly smooth nose-feel that really makes you dig deep for the interesting notes. A slight shiny copper note is there alongside just a hint of peanut brittle, chocolate powder and a sweet, floral oak. After a sip the nose opens up much more with layers of smooth, oiled leather and bergamot. Toasted oak vanilla layers continue to bombard my senses. Lovely proof rise later in the glass that smells of caramelized sugar, cloves and white paper. The empty glass smells of mint, flower petals, caramel, chocolate, and a light smoke. Palate: What a beautiful mouth coating this instantly provides from the first sip. It's thick, rich and intense with red ripe cherries, roasted peanuts, brown sugar and a continuously indulgent caramel note I am really digging. Definitely a bit floral forward, almost towards a candle or perfume level of intensity. The linger gives a long hug of molasses, nutty bread and the highlight of the pour - caramel again. I am noticing this drinks well below its stated 124.2 proof. On a surprising exhale I notice a bit of mint deep in the back end of this. Further sips really start to develop into the red fruit side of things well. The background slight nuttiness continues to hang on throughout as well. There are flashes of a lot of things happening here, but the only consolidated direction this has headed has been from a creamy caramel start towards a rich intense spice. Cinnamon and pepper are starting to take over with some herbal tea as well. This is easily the most intense Four Roses offering I have tasted yet. The best way I can describe it is incredibly robust, where previous experiences with Four Roses single barrel barrel strength offerings have been tame and almost bland at times. This one really scratches the barrel proof lover's itch well. It reminds me a little bit of a really good Booker's batch. Woah, interesting... I just cleared my throat a bit and it made the whiskey still lingering in my mouth almost taste like the air by the ocean - a bit of salt floating around. The last sip of the glass is quite smooth - with lemon tea, Earl Gray vanilla, chocolate, butterscotch and allspice all mingling well in waves. The mouth coating is still rich, spicy and delectable. Rating: 4/5 Really great pick here. I was amazed at how dark the appearance on this pour was this evening. I think I will only be pulling out this Four Roses offering for special company moving forward!

Jack Daniel's 10 Year is a rekindling of a label they last used over a century ago. Die hard Jack fans will likely be all over this one, but what will the average drinker think of this Tennessee whiskey (that could be called bourbon, if they wanted to)? There's nothing else different about this release from your regular Jack - same mash bill recipe, time, and care - but once again carrying a 10 year age statement. I've had a small pour of this one previous time, but I'm cracking into my own fresh bottle tonight. Let's see how this is! Company on Label: Jack Daniel Whiskey Type: Tennessee Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 80% Corn, 8% Rye, 12% Malted Barley Proof: 97° Age: 10 years Further identification: This new limited release began in September 2021 under batch no: 10-001 Nose: Corn, caramel and a bit of smoky pepper spice greet my nose from the get go. It's lively and full of powerful scents, but smooth and savory in texture. Fig forward on the slight fruit characteristic that presents itself to me early. Great quality of oak is definitely there, testament to the time spent marrying with the wood. Pepper and a faint citrus introduce a paper-like nose feel. Malty now with molasses building and some meaty barbeque notes lingering in the background. Touches of leather are here, but not fully developed and clearly defined. Caramel and the dusty, well-aged oak influence continue to be the dominant smells in this glass. Time for a sip! Vanilla and smoky oak are amplified well now. My left nostril is keenly aware of a decent amount of proof, but it carries with it an eye-opening bouquet of vanilla presented in many forms of complexity. After a long rest under a glencairn lid, I return to a cacophony of apple, cinnamon, banana bread and vanilla. Oh - really interesting - on deep inhales I am reminded of a barn house on Soule Homestead farm where I worked one summer long ago. Really incredible nose on this pour. I am thoroughly enjoying all the unique smells that I've been experiencing here, mainly due to the delicious vanilla base that has been a backdrop curtain for everything else that followed. The empty glass smells of plums, raisin, hay, straw, oak and faint indistinguishable citrus. Palate: Mmm, apple crisp forward, immediately flipping into a tart plum. Really interesting first sip evolution. There is a slightly metallic clove linger with peanut brittle and vanilla bean. The mouth feel is on the thinner side, lacking any viscous, oily texture at this proof and post charcoal filtering. A subsequent sip is creamy and indulgent. Cherry hots and raisin dance at the tip of my tongue. A long wave of vague sweetness slowly rolls back in my mouth, getting seemingly caught up on every taste bud along the way. It's not intense in the flavor department, but quite persistent. After a good rest in the glencairn while I enjoyed dinner, I return to a creamy butterscotch and caramel profile. The plum and cherry sweetness has migrated to much higher on my tongue and I find long lingers of Werther's originals. Bread notes continue to proliferate and evolve. Baking spices build well late in the glass. There is something akin to mint that causes a bit of coolness in the chest, but the flavors don't mirror that profile. There is now a bit of cinnamon spice lingering up in my cheeks and gums as I near the bottom of the glass. While quite tasty, the palate doesn't quite live up to the exceptional qualities of the nose which will keep this out of the perfect score territory I think. My last sip is a bittersweet farewell to a very enjoyable pour. It carries molasses, hay, pepper and hints of tobacco. Rating: 4/5

Weller coming back into my glass is always a welcome sight! I actually believe I reviewed this pour on my Instagram quite a while ago, and I wasn't anticipating doing another formal review tonight... But when I first nosed this glass I immediately went into notes mode. It is just too good not to savor, enjoy and attempt to understand! Hopefully this isn't too much foreshadowing on the notes to come. Have you tried a Weller pick, or even this one perhaps? Let me know in the comments. I hope you have something great in your glass tonight! Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Wheated Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Buffalo Trace "Wheated Mash Bill" Proof: 107° Age: NAS (~6-8 years) Further identification: ~2020 New Hampshire Liquor Outlet pick Nose: Sweet candied cherry... So incredibly rich and delicious on the first nose. Slightly meaty notes I've found in other Weller offerings, as well as some dusty oak. Orange peel is distinct, heavy and prominent now. Cloth briefly, then a smooth, silky citrus. I'm now presented with a smell that reminds me of the carpets of the church I went to as a kid. It kind of smells like old people (in a nostalgic, nice way). I can't quite shake that smell now, so I'll go for a sip. Pepper and caramel have blended well in the glass now post sip. Dry vanilla bean wanders in. This nose-feel is a lot like being in a cloud - or traveling very quickly through one much like the experience of skydiving. Light hints of leather, baking spice and molasses later in the glass. Oh, some nice earthy green tones now on deep inhales. Palate: Oh yeah - the palate matches the start of the nose well here. Cherry bursting forth with a thick, slightly tannic mouth coating. Cinnamon is mellow here, but still dances well across my tongue. The linger is a robust caramel that is pleasant without being overly powerful. The mouth feel to this is very nice but I think this batch may have been chill filtered as it doesn't have that thick, oily, sticking texture that Weller Full Proof has. This actually tastes a lot like Weller 12 tonight, with obvious extra proof behind it. Honey, plums, copper, and white bread now coat my tongue in various hues of extra layers that are nice surprises as this glass drinks on. A good bit of spice develops late in the glass, which is actually welcomed at this point in its evolution and not overbearing. The last sip is incredibly vanilla forward on the tip of my tongue with cherry dominating in the middle majority, dark grape and slightly tannic oak washing over, and finishing with a long linger of orange peel, baking spices and caramel. Rating: 4/5

It's been a little while since I've done a review; I had a brief stint with a little cold and wasn't up to it. I am just getting over it and wanted to do this tasting flight as a sort of 'recalibration' of my nose and palate. Let's see if I'm ready to get back after it! Heaven Hill 7 Year Bottled in Bond Company on Label: Heaven Hill Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 78% Corn, 10% Rye, 12% Malted Barley Proof: 100° Age: 7 years Further identification: Purchased early 2021, this was the last pour of this bottle Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel Company on Label: Wild Turkey Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley Proof: 101° Age: NAS (~8-9 years) Further identification: Bottled 07/06/20 from barrel no 1516, stored in Warehouse A on Rick no 40 Wilderness Trail Single Barrel Settlers Select Rye Company on Label: Wilderness Trail Whiskey Type: Straight Rye Whiskey Mash Bill Percentages: 33% Corn, 56% Rye, 11% Malted Barley Proof: 106° Age: 4 years Further identification: Barrel No. 16B21U, Bottle 179 of 250; NCF stated Eagle Rare Single Barrel Store Pick Company on Label: Buffalo Trace Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Buffalo Trace Mash Bill #1 (Low Rye < 10%) Proof: 90° Age: 10 years Further identification: This is a store pick from Muckey's Liquors in Lakeville Heaven Hill 7 Year Bottled in Bond Blue Fish Glencairn Nose: Salted caramel Malt and vanilla Floral perfume Sesame seed Toasted grains Weathered oak Palate: Malty and earthy forward Right off the bat this feels a little over oxidized Copper metallics Just really funky/off and nothing like what I remember about this bottle; I'm going to disqualify this pour from this tasting Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Red Antlers Glencairn Nose: Nutty Black pepper, high spice Vegetal, seasoned wood Funky, dry Dried earth; dirt Homemade peanut butter cookies (with fork-crossed texture on top) Palate: Peanut butter cookies on the palate transfers well Most improved over time in this glass Hints of licorice Allspice is not overpowering but definitely there Tannic red fruit trying to poke through but are stuck in the background Wilderness Trail Single Barrel Rye Green Peacock Glencairn Nose: Light, dusty allspice & cloves Refreshing, earthy tones Field of clover and grass Nutty funk Dried bark Mediterranean spices Dry, dark chocolate Palate: Woah, fresh fir boughs forward Mint and very lively, earthy, green plant forward Citrus zest is not overly punchy but more of a sizzle on the tongue Mouth coating is biased more rearwards and carries some intense rye spice Mint and lemon tea Very botanical tonight; would possibly pair up well with a gin Eagle Rare Single Barrel Store Pick Black Paw Glencairn Nose: Super cherry forward Syrupy, medicinal Smooth vanilla Plums, toffee and leather splashing over each other Dry pottery clay Dusty oak Candied plum; like a sweet pie filling Reminds me of just getting into bourbon; a classic profile Raisins late in the glass Palate: Thick, viscous, syrupy cherry forward much like the nose Long linger of sweetness that fades towards plum and a bit of tannic red wine Thin in intensity; shows to be a lower proof Citrus zest mouth coating on subsequent sips Great mouth coating and incredibly long linger of light & airy stewed fruits Slight medicinal quality Most consistently enjoyable profile Just the right amount of sweetness for me Final Ranking: Eagle Rare > Wilderness Trail > Kentucky Spirit Heaven Hill BiB was removed from this tasting as I really let that bottle over-oxidize unfortunately. Friendly reminder to kill your low bottles!

The Knob Creek 25th Anniversary Single Barrel release commemorated the 2017 milestone of 25 years of Knob Creek, a product that Booker Noe instated in 1992. Booker Noe's son, Fred celebrated the milestone with this release. When Dad introduced Knob Creek and the Small Batch Bourbon Collection 25 years ago, he created it with the flavor, care and craftsmanship that defined high-quality, full-flavored bourbon,” said Noe. “I am honored to keep this tradition alive every day, and am proud to celebrate 25 years with our fans by releasing a special product that features Dad’s preferred ‘uncut and unfiltered’ style, combined with my passion for single barrel bourbons. This sample review and photo are courtesy of the ever kind local whiskey guy John Deane. This kind soul also helped me out significantly with Booker’s boxes when I put the call out. Appreciate it! Let's find out how this single barrel offering came out! Your mileage may vary given this is a single barrel product. Company on Label: James B. Beam Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 121.2° Age: 12-13 years per their release statement, assumed 13 based on the barreled date Further identification: Barreled 5/13/2004 Nose: Mmm dusty; caramel, nutty oak and patches of citrus - I can tell I am going to like this profile already. Spices and leather up front followed by proofy vanilla. Light cloves nestled into the oak. The caramel is turning creamy now as some of the proof expires. Very oaky, but it's bright and well charred. Candied apples and molasses now. More vanilla as some touches of white pepper sneak in. The oak almost feels like it's halfway to smelling more like paper (I guess that makes sense)... The vanilla has now started to open up into a sugary marshmallow - a hallmark smell I love to get on a good pour. Trace notes of leather continue to flourish near the bottom. Palate: Syrupy cherry hots forward at the start! The mouth feel wisps around like a flame with some spice tingling from the middle of the tongue towards the front and then flashing away towards the back as the heat is extinguished. Fairly plain profile to this with your typical caramel and vanilla notes dominating without much intensity. The nose has been much more impressive so far. Now on a subsequent sip some flavors begin to build with some lemon peel, cloves, leather and slightly tannic oak. This pour feels unapologetically simple - and that's okay. Not every pour has to knock your socks off and slap you upside the head. Near the bottom of the glass things have leaned back towards a citrus profile similar to a Knob 12. My last sip is small, but enjoyable - creamy caramel is once again well offset by dark leather and a bit of spice. Rating: 3/5

Penelope has really popped into the scene recently (at least in New England) and I've been excited to try it for myself. When my cousin came over with a bottle of the barrel strength I knew we had to get into it right away. It has been part of a numerous flights and tastings I've put on since then and thought it was definitely time for a full review. The Penelope story, from their website: Penelope Bourbon was crafted and created in a classic American tradition – to celebrate an impending birth of a child. In 2018, Mike Paladini and his wife, Kerry, found out they were expecting a baby girl, Penelope. To commemorate this occasion, Mike quickly realized he wanted to create a spirit that embodied the daily joy of celebrating life’s pleasures – big and small. Teaming up with his close childhood friend and neighbor, Danny Polise, they set out to discover and produce a Straight Bourbon Whiskey everyone could appreciate and enjoy. A company was born. Today, Penelope Bourbon is sold in over 23 states nationwide and Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. Proving that with enough love and care, and hardwork, anything is possible. Distillery: Penelope Bourbon is distilled at MGP's historic Lawrenceburg, Indiana distillery. The distillery was founded in 1847. Blending and Bottling: Nestled on 113 acres of rolling hills in a castle that holds more than a century of distilling history, Castle & Key blends and bottles Penelope Bourbon under the direction of Mike Paladini and Danny Polise. Cooperage: Since 1947, the family owned Speyside Cooperage has produced the finest casks from the best American Oak. Speyside assists Penelope Bourbon in sourcing unique oak casks for Penelope Bourbon finishes. Company on Label: Penelope Bourbon Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 74% Corn, 16% Wheat, 7% Rye, 3% Malted Barley Proof: 115.8° Age: 3 years (7 months) Further identification: This is Batch 6 of the barrel strength releases from Penelope, which sources from MGP Nose: Pepper, malt and some dark floral notes at the start. Dusty vanilla has a bit of paper characteristics. Creamy caramel. Rose hips. Smooth hibiscus. Really interesting nose to this. Stainless steel and chalky chocolate. Creamy marshmallow has developed now. The empty glass smells of honey, malty oak and nutmeg. Palate: Yum! A unique kind of caramel to this. I think the floral background changes it a little bit. The palate is rich and still malty with a bit of spice lingering. Subsequent sip is vanilla forward and the linger has grapefruit and molasses - a bit of a strange mixture. The overall feel of this pour is definitely caramel driven, with a plethora of undertones weaving throughout. Bits of cola mixed in now with some flashes of nuttiness as well. Back to floral honey and caramel now. Nice pour that I'm enjoying taking my sweet time with. The last sip is sweet in a homey candle kind of way. Rating: 4/5 What a unique pour! I loved all the floral characteristics of this. A great change of pace from your typical bourbons, Penelope does some fantastic stuff with this MGP whiskey!

I'm always excited for a new Booker's batch! I'm playing a little bit of catch up as I was away on a little hunting trip earlier this week. This review was actually live on my Instagram first. Let's get into this one. Company on Label: James B. Beam Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Barley Proof: 125.5° Age: 6 years (5 months, 0 days) Further identification: 2021-03 Bardstown Batch comes bearing a dark pink rose label in a wooden box with a batch information card Nose: Dusty cherry and slightly nutty on the first nosing. Syrupy and punchy with pepper, plum and birch bark. Musty but in a light way like a mellow cigar. Post sip has good oaky vanilla to it. There are lovely hints of citrus through the heavy older oak. Slightly malty and meaty later in the glass now, that was a surprise change in this glass. Now we are back to a smooth vanilla texture. The empty glass smells of chocolate covered peanuts. Palate: Syrupy cherry, plum and prunes. Very nice fruit forward profile. It's definitely powerful at this proof point but not overly hot. After a few sips the black pepper comes back in strong. There's plenty of caramel notes but they are very faint and light in intensity. Flashes of cloves gives this a good level of complexity. The major vibe of this pour is dusty oak and syrupy cherry. There is a slight linger of faint peanut butter on deep exhales. Very approachable pour even at 125.5 proof; I really like this barrel proof sipper. Towards the end of the pour I start to experience a little bit of proof imbalance which is surprising. The last sip is very oaky with plum, vanilla and sharp pepper that all lingers long in a tingly mouth feel. Rating: 4/5 Another solid Booker's batch with this one! I love when these batches get fruit forward. I like this one much more than 2021-02, 2020-03 and 2020-02 of recent memory.

Knob Creek picks! Doesn't it feel like everyone's got one of these? Are they fairly consistent, or does a good barrel picker have a chance to find something exceptional? I'm taking my first foray (I know, how?) into Knob picks with this one from Kappy's. I love the bottle style, let's see how I like the whiskey inside! Company on Label: Knob Creek Distilling Company (Beam) Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 75% Corn, 13% Rye, 12% Malted Barley Proof: 120° Age: 9 years Further identification: Warehouse 1, Floor 3, Rick 036. Barreled 5/24/2011. Selected 11/18/2020. Single Barrel Selected by Kappy's Nose: Super powerful & punchy on first inhale - intense cherry and nuttiness. Caramel, vanilla bean and fresh ground black pepper. This noses a bit hot which is unsurprising for 120 proof. After 10 or so minutes of resting things are much more mellow, but still powerful. There's a bit of cranberry, fig and a deeply dusty textured oak. Slightly smoky, but in a light & silky kind of way. - as if a faint vanilla incense was burning a ways off. Walnut shells and salted pistachios make for a slightly dry base to the nose on this, but I like a nutty profile like this. Later in the glass the vanilla develops marvelously and brings with it a very silky nose-feel. Some light dryer sheet aromas now as the nutty base continues to dominate. The empty glass smells of honey, leather and caramel. Palate: Oh that's sweet. Cherry, raspberry and a hot flash of cinnamon are a lovely greeting to the palate. That reminded me a lot of a Stagg Jr Batch 14 opening sip. The mouth coating is viscous, sweet and manageably spicy. The linger is long even on a single sip. A subsequent sip reveals great layers of milk chocolate, allspice and more fruity cherry notes. Still very punchy, powerful and proofy. I wish it was a little more rich than dry given how intense and proofy this pour is, but it's a solid high test offering. It is starting to get some of the citrus characteristics I know and love from the 12 year offering, but it's not fully developed here yet. Nearing the bottom of the glass, the spice completely disappears and now it's all caramel and vanilla across my tongue. The rest of my mouth is not as coated as the fruit and spice flavors were giving me earlier. While I've gained one new thing here, I've lost another. I actually like pours that have some kind of evolution like this compared to something that tastes relatively close to the same all the way throughout. If you blinded me and told me this was a new Booker's batch I'd probably believe you! My last sip is a smooth cherry medley. Yum. Rating: 4/5 Good pick! As Fall creeps in - my proofs creep up. This one definitely scratches the high test itch for today.

It's been quite a while since the last Un-Gnome Whiskey review. This was a fun thing I started to keep myself honest & remove any label bias that might have started to creep into my reviews. @amongstthefernsco is once again helping me out on hiding what sample I have been given tonight. We will be switching it up a tiny bit for this one as I will have 10 options to guess from once I am completely done with my review and ranking. Part of the fun is trying to get the whiskey right too! Let's get into this one. Bottle information will be posted after the glass reveal at the end. Scroll slow if you don't want spoilers! Nose: Mmm stone fruit, coffee grounds and a touch of malt to start. There is a touch of ethanol burn on deep inhales, so maybe a little higher on the proof side. Chocolate, meaty, malty aromas are very heavy in this glass. Popcorn kernels are sitting in the middle of the glass with a bit of dry flakiness to it. Some fleeting caramel. Incredibly dusty oak aromas now, more-so than usual in a pour I'd say. An older, dried out black pepper aroma is also wafting through on deep inhales. Now that I am nosing a little heavier I am wondering if I was misled on the higher proof as it is now it is presenting fairly low. The overall feel is still very malty. There's also a copper with a heavy patina smell now. Very herbal and metallic. Time for a sip. Now the nose feels much lighter and sweeter. The oak is even presenting brighter with floral undertones. Now moving towards a bit of baking spice later in the glass. There's a touch of smokiness that smells like a grill that is burning off the remnants of a big batch of burgers. The base layer to this is some kind of creamy yet floral note. The empty glass smells of sweet malt, oak and honey. Palate: Wow, way different than the nose. Punchy vanilla and strawberry sugar. This tastes like a strawberry daquiri. What on earth! I have never tasted something like that out of a whiskey before. The sweet flavor was so powerful for a few fleeting moments before settling into a vague, unshapely strawberry smoothie finish. A good swish and chew reveals honeycomb and something that reminds me of fresh, pressed flowers. This is incredibly tasty and unique. There's something different about this; either a strange mash bill or a finish I think. Regardless: just an incredible flavor to this; it reminds me of eating those wildflower honey sticks you might find at a farm stand or country store. There is a great thin yet syrupy mouth feel to this. I wish the flavors stuck around a little longer, but only because they are so delicious. Oh! This reminds me quite a bit of elderflower liqueur. Incredible orange creamsicle flavors now. Wow, impressively tasty. I feel like this stands up very well as a first pour of the day, but may not do well after a few other pours. My last sip is incredibly delicate, maybe one of those surprising ~90 proofers that work well as first sip? Rating: 4/5 Options: Old Tub BiB Rebel Yell 10 Year SiB Bakers 13 Year Chicken Cock Bourbon Hill Rock Rye - George Washington Hickory Hill Bourbon Amador Double Barrel Legent Sherry Finish Bowman Brothers Small Batch Town Branch Sherry Cask Guess(es): 1. Amador Double Barrel 2. Hill Rock Rye - George Washington 3. Hickory Hill Bourbon Reveal: Hickory Hill Bourbon Surprising result yet again! This is why I do these! Hickory Hill Bourbon... Would you ever go hunting for this? It's 25 bucks at Total Wine. Never thought I'd like a 3 year age statement nor a 90 proofer as much as this! Company on Label: Gulf Coast Distillers Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 90° Age: 3 years Further identification: This is the flagship release of this; I probably purchased this in ~2019

The 2020 release of Angel's Envy Cask Strength comes in a phenomenal wood display box. With this being a fresh bottle crack, and me wanting to simply sit and savor this pour a little bit tonight, I am going to keep this to a shorter 'flash' review. I will be revisiting this soon once I get to know the bottle a little more. I'm also looking forward to sharing this with some company soon! Company on Label: Louisville Spirits Group Whiskey Type: Finished Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: 72% Corn, 18% Rye, 10% Malted Barley Proof: 120.4° Age: NAS (supposedly up to 7 years) Further identification: Batch No C9, Bottle No 7043 Nose: Definitively some fantastic port wine casks were selected for this, as the rich finish is present and powerful from the get go. Buttery smooth fruit mix well with a dusty old oak aroma. Some tropical fruit hide out in the corners. Bright white flour and a rich malty plum swirl through the glass. The sharp sting of some cinnamon stick can be wrestled with on deep inhales. Leather. Post sip there is touches of funky malt behind all the fruit sweetness. There's something like a mincemeat pie also here that is very strange, but really enjoyable for me with Fall starting to really show up here. Palate: Oh wow. Incredibly rich first sip. Vanilla forward at the very start, then molasses, raisin and dark, tannic cherry flavors take over. There is quite the bite to having this as a first sip of the day. Another sip has a similar experience with a flash of smooth vanilla at the start and then a wave of fruit that coat the mouth heavily. The finish is on the shorter side with smaller sips, but the intensity of the flavors is very high. Overall intensely sweet. I feel like this could really give Midwinter Night's Dram a run for its money! Very tasty. Rating: 4/5

The Cream of Kentucky brand was originally introduced in 1888 by I. Trager & Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio. Just prior to the end of Prohibition, the brand was acquired by the famed Schenley Company and subsequently re-introduced in 1934. Through the 1930s and 1940s Cream of Kentucky grew to become one of the leading bourbon brands, with renowned artist Norman Rockwell provided much of the award winning artwork for the brand during its heyday. Cream of Kentucky is now owned by J.W. Rutledge, and Jim has recently purchased a limited supply of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey he feels is worthy of the rebirth of Cream of Kentucky Bourbon as a premium whiskey. Company on Label: J. W. Rutledge (Sourced from an undisclosed KY distillery) Whiskey Type: Bourbon Mash Bill Percentages: Undisclosed Proof: 102° Age: 12 years Further identification: Batch #3; 12.3 year age stated; "Double Rich" Nose: Sweetness I can smell from a distance here. This glass aired out quite a bit while I messed with a few projects that came up. Now that Fall temps are here I may be nosing some colder glasses or bottles, which is definitely true of this glass as I review from the porch tonight. Smooth citrus sweetness is delightful on the first nose. It's like a lemon vanilla frosting. Vaguely oaky, but more like crushed acorns or walnuts. This is a very crisp and bright pour on the nose. Ooh now some cherry perfume rolls through with a bit of dark earthy grass and more lemon zest. Okay now the oak presents itself more naturally. There's a deep lemon note persistent all throughout this that reminds me a little bit like Willett, but it present a little more like Knob 12. Post-sip the nose does not drastically change with more grass, oak and perhaps a touch more malt. On a swirl more vanilla abounds and citrus pepper presents fondly of an old-style cooking aroma. I took a break here to have dinner; notes from here are about 30 minutes of further resting in the glass. Oh a very fleeting group of stone fruit aromas unfortunately just vanished after one long inhale. The remainder of the glass has some meaty aromas, a smell I often get when there is some interaction with the cooking smells in the house. The oak has developed into an older, more seasoned wood now. Before I even thought about what age I was actually drinking my mind wandered right to the number 12 on this one. It is starting to get some of that dark leather and spiced cherry cola characteristic I would expect on an older age statement. Super vegetal and funky now on the tail end of my pour. This really screams 12 year Beam to me. The final aromas that feel trapped in the glass remind me of a New England lobster cookout at a big banquet hall; it reminds me of the local VFW in the town where I grew up. Nearing the last sip the nose turns a bit dusty and nutty; like a Booker's Granny's Batch peanut experience. The empty glass smells of fruit parfait, vanilla, and sawdust. Palate: First sip pre-dinner is thin but zesty with plenty of that lemon forward profile coming out, but here it has a little more backbone with sweet tart sugar, smarties candy and a caramel linger. Finish is definitely short, but the flashes of flavors on the first sip were incredibly enjoyable. The first sip reminded me of the 2020 release Michter's 10 year bourbon. Slight chalkiness to the mouth feel after sitting a while. My next sip builds well in the spice and intensity. Malted popcorn, molasses and cinnamon dart across my tongue and leave a slight copper residue behind. A long chew makes this almost taste like an Irish produced on a pot still. There is that oily consistency and some sugar cookie flavors bubbling up now. The mouth feel improves very well if you swish and savor this sip. I took a break here to have dinner; tasting notes from here are about 30 minutes of further resting in the glass. Oh wow, there is a very punchy cherry and cinnamon present now later in the glass. The sweeter and richer profile is now inviting me to take larger sips with touches of nuttiness, dry tobacco then waves of syrupy cherry. This pour had quite the arc of flavors throughout it. I actually really like where it settled in the end, but wasn't as big of a fan of what was happening early on - if the notes didn't let on to that fact. Plum and a slightly tart raisin note now join the cherry sweetness. There is definitely a bit of bitter red wine in the finish or linger somewhere, but it's well hidden. The last sip is surprisingly vanilla forward, with a little ethanol linger and thick cherry cola effervescence. Rating: 3/5 I wanted to like this a lot more than I did, but the overall experience isn't my favorite journey through a glencairn. I will say this was incredibly improved with time, but I fear many will not have the time or patience to allow it to reach the point at which I tasted. Kudos to you if you do!