Cleveland Underground Bourbon Finished in Black Cherry Wood

Tasted at room temperature / Glencairn glass / no water or ice added. Batch 04, Bottle 05199. 94 proof. The nose is alcohol and dried fruits... cherries and raisins. It's got a woodiness about it too, but not a traditional oak. Maybe I'm catching the variant aging process. Maybe I'm catching the black cherry wood finish. I'm also getting some holiday spices. On the palate this has more burn than I'd expect from a 94. It's showing youth. It really seems underdeveloped to me. Maybe a little orange or orange peel too? The finish is actually the best part, though it doesn't linger as long as I would like. Subtle vanilla, spice, and more orange finish this one off.

The nose of the bourbon is heavy with the scent of cherry and spice. There is also a faint scent of cask wood that slowly grows as you nurse the nose. On the pallet the whiskey possesses a cherried sweetness and a woody body that transitions into rich spice. As the drink matures on the tongue the wood develops into the aftertaste. The spice reminiscient of baking spices and settles into a warm glow in the chest. The whiskey is very good neat, but a drop of water may open it up nicely.

The nose has a musty, vanilla and oak element with ethanol and just a hint of cherry in the background. The palate, while smooth, doesn’t particularly have anything that jumps out at you. The vanilla, oak and very faint cherry makes an appearance once it hits the back of the tongue and then all quickly drops off for an unimpressive finish. It tastes off, artificial is a good word to use here.

I'm honestly surprised this whiskey isn't rated lower. They use a process that's basically throwing the whiskey into a container with wood chips that's pressurized. It's supposed to reduce the aging process, which is a great idea, but this whiskey really doesn't taste "right" to me. I get a strong feeling of those red wood chips that they use for mulch, a chemical taste in there.

The nose of this bourbon is pleasant, the sweet cherry, mild cinnamon, and a tinge of chocolate. The palate however is so overpowered by a sweetened cherry and ethanol that you can taste little else. This rapidly aged bourbon lacks the nuance and smoothness of a traditionally aged whiskey.

Smell: Nice deep cherrywood Initial taste: a little bite but not overwhelming. Cherrywood and spice flavor it's evident. Flow thru: flavor stuck around a bit, had to slurp again to taste, I liked out better than Cleveland applewood. Maybe slight bittter aftertaste 6.5 out of 10