Rich and bold, it’s loaded with caramel notes that range from macchiato to salted caramel chews. Then complexity sets in, with brown sugar, vanilla cake batter, cinnamon-dusted molasses cookies, candied pecans, brown-sugar butter, and cornbread. The key here is that each note appears with that initial caramel richness and follows this to the long, warm, and satisfying finish with a hint of spice.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Fall 2017)

Quite dark in color, turning cloudy with water. Don’t let that deter you. A thick, chewy bourbon, with layers of nutty toffee, nougat, cocoa, and toasted marshmallow, peppered with cinnamon and vanilla. Oak and leather on the finish dry out the whiskey nicely. Not the most refined bourbon, but the flavors it delivers make up for it.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Fall 2013)

Initially reticent on the nose, with time this reveals gooey caramel, pralines, Hershey’s milk chocolate, and a touch of charred mint leaves. It’s chewy and occasionally sharp on the palate, with oodles of roasted nuts, polished oak, mint, peppery spice, dark chocolate, licorice, tobacco ash, and char. The medium-length finish holds tingling white pepper, unsweetened chocolate, and more polished oak.

Reviewed by: Susannah Skiver Barton (Winter 2020)

Very much in the Elijah Craig style: thick and chewy, with layers of toffee, molasses, and vanilla cream. Notes of caramel-nut fudge, cinnamon bun, and blackberry brandy keep it fun. There’s just the right amount of dried oak spice on the finish to round things out. Very good, solid, affordable bourbon. (Capital City Package exclusive.)

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Winter 2013)

A solid, basic bourbon, with pure sweetness, honey, marzipan, and wildflower notes. The sweet drive is nicely backed with drying oak on the pronounced finish, like sucking on a sweet and woody cherry Popsicle stick. A simple and enjoyable crowd pleaser, and smaller sibling to the Barrel Proof, our 2017 Whisky of the Year.

Reviewed by: Jeffery Lindenmuth (Fall 2018)

The second 20 year old single barrel release, sold at Heaven Hill’s Bourbon Heritage Center. (I rated the first one a 96.) Like its predecessor, this one sports a beautiful nose — and beginning of the palate — with toffee, nougat, pecan pie, and coconut truffle. But some fairly aggressive, tactile oak on the finish keeps this whiskey from earning a higher rating.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Summer 2012)