Nose is rich with lots of vanilla and spice. The high abv masks some of the flavor on the first few sips, but then a full wheaty profile emerges with more vanilla and ample sweetness. The finish, however becomes dry, woody, and a bit bitter and detracts from the overall experience. The are other wheated bourbons around this age and price range I'd go to first.
N: Light wood on top. A little orange. Cherries, a darker fruit note; some caramel. Gets sweeter with more air but has a sharpness that makes it seem a bit thin. A little mint. Slight mothball aroma.
P: A little cinnamon and some heat. Wood, cherry, and apple flavors that lean waxy. Kind of a nonspecific graininess.
F: Cinnamon again, warm heat. Woody and generically grainy. Waxy apple notes kick in again. A little mint and menthol on the top end.
Not bad. A bit sharp but pretty decent. Continually changing with air; the sharper notes gain prominence. Slight medicinal nature as it evolves which isn't bad.
2013 VW Vertical Tasting: I am just so shocked at how bad this has gotten over the last few years, I don't have much else to put here. Some sugar and alcohol on the nose. Nothing exciting. When I first got into "high-end" whisk(e)y (bourbon especially), this was the first thing I truly loved. So, it really sucks to see this product dip in quality like this. C+/B- [1/26/14]
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