Last week’s offering by u/t8ke. 139.2 proof, $100 before shipping.
While I’ve been looking to get my hands on an Elijah Craig toasted barrel barrel proof, the high proof on this standard barrel proof was too high to pass up for me. I let this rest 20 minutes in the glencairn.
Nose: big cinnamon and spice blast, mellows to roasted almonds, leather, honey, light must accompanying oak, then more heat and a touch of Tabil seasoning. The mustiness with the oak emerges more as the pour opens up
Palate: starts off with a strong cherry/honey combo, very sweet, then it tails off to leather and mixed nuts. Honestly surprised at the strong sweetness here without the heat
Finish: there’s the heat! It crushes the sinuses up to the ears. The third sip and it calms down, the honey shines here, with some more Tabil, lingering sweetness and nice oak tannins
Damn, this is a killer pour. The proof on this really amplifies everything and I really dig the fruit notes. Normally, I prefer the mixed nuts forward notes that I get in the Elijah Craig barrel proofs but damn, the fruit on the palate is excellent, and I don’t usually get Middle Eastern spices out of anything that’s not Mizurnara finished. This bottle knocks it out of the park.