2XO Oak Series French Oak

Color: Medium golden amber Smell: Sweet aroma of maple? Molasses? Leather, apples, the faintest hint of alcohol. Taste (consumed neat): The sweetness from the smell carries over to the palate on the very first sip, with a syrupy texture. Very mild warmth in the chest. There's a lot happening with this spirit. Spice, cool mint, a bit of smoke, and something like "grape" hits the back of the tongue. Yes — grape! I wasn't expecting that. Interesting! I would have assumed this was one of those "Sherry" or "Port" cask finished expressions. The double oak treatment is also very noticeable. Aftertaste: A fairly long finish with grain, mint, a slight smokiness, some butteriness, and graham cracker notes. This was one of four bottles I purchased today using some Christmas gift cards. The other three were bottles I've been wanting for a while. But this 2XO was a spontaneous choice — with a little help from the reviews here, of course. I'm very impressed! 4.0 stars. But I could easily see this earning a higher rating in the future.

The nose has rich oak, vanilla, and cinnamon with caramel and rye, hints of leather and oil. The body has rich vanilla and caramel, with oak, leather, maple syrup, and soft cookies. The mouthfeel is velvety and silky smooth with a gentle spice. The finish is smooth with vanilla, oak, & caramel, and sweet smooth nougat. Tasted neat.

Nose: astringent oak nose, nutty Palate: upfront similar to a certain other brand, grainy, buttery, tannins but diluted.