Green River, Single Barrel Cask Strength, Straight Bourbon, NHCABC #1

Single barrel cask proof straight bourbon whiskey, BTB Edition #1, from New Hanover County ABC, North Carolina, 61.9% ABV. NAS, but reportedly a blend of 5 and 7 year bourbons. Tasting neat. Golden brown and average coating legs in the glass. Nose is light, floral grain, and vanilla. Tannic oak, char, vanilla, and a healthy ethanol burst opens the mouth. Dry and dusty, grassy spicy, then brown sugar sweet shows up. Coating oily mouthfeel. Nose and mouth couldn't be more different. Finish starts from that hot spicy mouth and turns a little sweet-sour underneath the spicy, oaky baseline. Long tingling finish. After a half hour open in-glass, this bourbon is opening up, softening, and the butterscotch sweetness is growing against the tannic oak. Ice calms the heat but not the smoky tannic character. While not a really balanced flavor drink, each part is good on its own. Interesting, not easy, Love the bottle--squat, short neck, flat front rounded back. Going to give this whiskey a 4 now and think about it over time.