Nose - (w/o water) Intense dark caramel, fruity vanilla, strawberry candies, syrupy cherry coke, hint of leather (w/ water) Softens the initial sweetness otherwise mostly the same. Taste - (w/o water) Hot sweet fruity cinnamon, cherry coke syrup, dark caramel, strawberry candies, red hots, vanilla dark simple (w/ water) Greatly reduced heat, dark chocolate emerges, cherry coke syrup, cinnamon, strawberries. Finish - (w/o water) Lingering hot fruity cinnamon tingle, light oak, sweet cherry coke syrup, strawberry candy (w/ water) Sweet dark chocolate covered cherry/vanilla caramel, light leather tannic/bitter, coffee bitterness. Score - 91/100 Final Thoughts - This is right up my alley for what I really like in a bourbon. The fact that you can get cherry coke & strawberry flavors in a bourbon are amazing and combined with the dark caramel vibe, this is truly a dessert in a glass. The higher proof allows you to proof it down to however you like and since I don't get any off-putting flavors, the taste keeps on evolving in the glass as you sip. Would I drink it if offered? - Yes Would I specifically order it? - Yes Would I buy a bottle? - Yes, but not at the ridiculous secondary prices
About this bottle
This wheated bourbon contains a mash bill recipe of Kentucky corn, North Dakota wheat, and North Dakota malted barley. Distilled in the winter of 2005 to 130 proof, the bourbon entered the barrel at 114 proof. It matured for over 12 years and 6 months. Only 155 barrels were hand-picked from Warehouses D, I, and P, just ten more than last year’s release. At 128.2 proof, it comes to you uncut and unfiltered from the barrel.
How it tastes
Measured across 14 flavor axes. Tap a note to find other bottles that lead with it.
Reviews
Showing the most detailed of 48 parsed reviews.
Vibrant golden amber. Stuck to the glass, a few sparse, slow moving legs. Nose overflows with caramel, butterscotch, fig preserves, dried apricot and plenty of barrel. The barrel notes are nice balance of wood and char. In fact, the nose's incredible balance unto itself remarkable. Starts sweet, with salted caramel and creamed corn, then warms the mouth and chest showing some spicier notes mid palate. An incredibly long finish and lots of stickiness. Reminiscent of an old oak log sprouting mushrooms on the forest floor. A well-worn in leather couch certainly comes to mind as well. The butterscotch shows up on and off throughout the entire experience. Is definitely a work of art. It doesn't do for me the same thing that the George T Stagg does, but that doesn't take away from the experience in any way.
Nose- Vanilla wafer cookies, fruit punch, cherry, caramel, brown sugar, confectioners sugar Palate- Rainer cherries, caramel, vanilla, chewy toffee, black pepper, honey Finish- Long, bold finish with notes of honey, caramel, and intense spice Such an amazing nose. I could smell this for hours, and definitely the highlight of this bourbon. The palate is bold, chewy and complex. Beautiful flavors of cherry and very vanilla forward. The finish is a memorable one as well, as it lasts forever with lingering spice and caramel notes. All in all, pretty amazing, with the nose being the main highlight for me. For MSRP, it’s absolutely worth it, would never pay $700+ for it though.
A rich, 12-Year-Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey by Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky as a part of their Antique Collection. It has a sweet birth with notes of wheat, caramel corn, new leather, plums, light toffee & pipe tobacco; while a spicy life adds notes of biscuit, dark chocolate, marshmallow, salted almonds, nougat, figs & dates; that leads to a sweet & smooth death with notes of caramel, marshmallow, leather & rose. July / December 2018 / January 2019 / July 2022
Mooched a dram from a friend at a recent birthday gathering. This goes down pretty easy for such a high proof. Interesting in that there is a sweet and salty element to every sip. This sensation reminded me a really well balanced chocolate covered pretzel. Highly reccomend if you can steal a sip off a friend but not sure I would pay a premium over something like a stagg jr. At the end of the day this is still a wheated bourbon. 4/5
Huge cherries, vanilla and caramel on the nose. Caramel and cherries stick around for the palate, with plums joining the party casually late. It’s a flavor bomb, intense as it is sweet. I don’t even know how to describe the other half of what I’m tasting. The finish is long and warming, with all the same flavors finally yielding to brown sugar and wood. Add no more than a few drops of water despite the high proof. Unbelievable all around.
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