One of the first non-Kentucky bonded bourbons since the 1950s. There’s trepidation in this glass. Floral, pear, peach, and chocolate tickle the nose, leading to relief that its aroma isn’t over-oaked like some smaller distillers’ bourbons. Apricot meets dark chocolate, mint, and smoked corn, with hints of caramel, walnut shell, and a long, chicory-coffee finish. The taste is definitely not Kentucky but is convincingly delicious, especially the bitter notes toward the end. Taste this lineage; something special is starting.

Reviewed by: Fred Minnick (Summer 2016)