The sweet vanilla, almond, and coconut aromas don’t prepare you for the chocolaty richness of the palate, but don’t stress; just enjoy the journey. It starts with Almond Joy, crème brûlée with fresh blackberries, nougat, and marzipan, then progresses to cacao nibs, dried cranberries and cherries, and a striking amaretto flavor. Everything wraps up neatly—and lengthily—with cocoa powder, black pepper, mocha, and roasted walnuts. Don’t be shy about watering generously; this can quite a bit.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2020)

Brownie batter, toasted almonds, maple syrup, orange peel, ginger, raspberries, and strawberries on the nose, with a touch of iced tea. The palate is oily and rich with fruit, especially after water is added; orange marmalade and cherry soda mingle with semi-sweet chocolate and chicory coffee. Chicory, mocha, polished oak, and cocoa powder on the finish. Add water for more prominent fruit notes without losing the rich character or stellar balance.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2020)

A sweet and enticing nose of marzipan, crème anglaise, blueberry compote, cooked cherry, brown sugar, baking spice, and vanilla bean. The palate showcases rich chocolate, with heaps of dark and cooked fruit: blackberry and blueberry preserves, Luxardo cherries, as well as cinnamon, dried ginger, allspice, and roasted walnuts—everything seamlessly interwoven. Lengthy on the finish, with mocha, dark chocolate, polished oak, and white pepper.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2020)

A blend of straight bourbons from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana, aged 9 to 15 years. Wild herbs, dried apricots, and red fruits punctuate the nose, while the palate is smooth but complex, offering spice and refined sweetness, along with notes of tobacco leaf, graphite, semi-sweet chocolate, and dried red fruit. The finish is lengthy, led by dark berry flavors and followed by undernotes of chocolate, toasted almonds, and baking spice.

Reviewed by: David Fleming (Fall 2020)

Pastry shop aromas permeate the nose: blueberry crumble with crusted brown sugar, fresh-baked muffin, boysenberry syrup, and fragrant peaches, nectarines, and orange peel. The palate pops with lively citrus, a surprising but not unwelcome element that plays well with toasted almond, chestnut honey, and nutty oak flavors. It finishes with roasted peanuts, bittersweet chocolate, and tea leaf, still retaining peppy citrus.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2020)

The unusual cask finish lends a minty herbal note throughout, from the nose—which is honeyed and sweet, also showcasing milk chocolate, peanuts, candy apple, maple syrup, and a whiff of licorice—to the palate and finish. Overall, this serves as a great example of the importance of texture in whiskey; the mouthfeel is oleaginous and almost fatty, gliding over the palate and shedding flavors of chocolate-covered cherry, white pepper, gingerbread, and roasted walnuts. The finish is zingy with ginger, white pepper, and tingling peppermint, buttressed by bittersweet mocha, cherry, and dark grapes.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Fall 2020)