Hand Selected Barrel
Small Batch Tennessee Whiskey
Aged 9 years
51.5% ABV (103 proof)
paid $50 @ Spirits Unlimited (New Jersey)
Color: medium brown, orange tint
Smell: smooth and approachable, but complex. Big whiffs of dusty corn sweetness and honey, with a big hit of vanilla beans, some cinnamon, and toasty oak influence as well.
Taste: smoothly sweet on entry - honey, vanilla, and caramel. The transition brings things to spicetown, with waves of cinnamon (red-hots) as well as nutmeg/clove/allspice. I also get some leather and maybe even some licorice. While the oak influence is contributing to these flavors, there is very little overt woodiness to this whiskey - it's a smooth customer that brings lots of complexity to the table. It's more than a sweet wooden punch in the mouth.Overall: to me, this is a knockout, and an easy "A." Highly recommended. This can be tough to find, but if your liquor store participates in these private barrel selections, jump all over it. There's also apparently a 14 year version, but I haven't yet come across it.
