Aged in American oak, and then finished in maple, sherry, and portwood. The nose is intriguing and entertaining, but the palate loses me. At the beginning, it’s sweet to the point of bordering on cloying, and then there’s an emergence of flavors (wood spice, stewed fruit, caramel, etc.) that turns very busy and lacks integration. The flavors just don’t play well with each other. To me, the whiskey is trying too hard to impress and achieves the opposite.

Reviewed by: John Hansell (Spring 2013)