Black Maple Hill Limited Edition Purple Label

This is genuinely a peculiar one. The aroma is dominated by intense minerality, with piney hints, notes of damp earth, decaying plant matter, wet stones (to put it simply), and just a touch of something akin to mint tea with honey. It seems like it might lean towards gin, but it doesn't go so far as to be off-putting. The taste really focuses on those tea and honey notes, bringing in a light lemon flavor and a pervasive grassy quality. The mid-palate begins to reveal more light barrel char and smoke, but it only ever hints at the classic vanilla-caramel wood sugars. The finish evokes strange memories of a strong, cool breeze over a damp forest floor. It sounds odd, but you'll understand when you taste it. This bourbon truly avoids all the classic sweet, dessert-like notes, instead settling firmly into the realm of light, mineral-forward herbaceous honey. This is a whiskey I'd reach for on a cool, damp autumn day. It's not my top choice, but it's a distinctive experience nonetheless.

A sample from a friend as part of the "Whiskey transfer program". Aroma: Immediately, an intense peanut scent dominates. Vanilla, honey, dried cherry, cedar, apple, with subtle grassy notes in the background. It's a complex and enjoyable aroma. Taste: Quite peculiar and off-putting. Very herbal and grassy with a strong hot ethanol burn at first. Vague sweet undertones. Finish: The finish is medium-short, with cucumber and spice notes that evolve into more toasted peanut. The aroma was incredibly complex and pleasing, but the taste and finish were just really strange. It almost has flavors on the tongue like gin. It's intriguing, but that's the best that can be said. If you are seeking a solid bourbon that delivers the typical notes, this is not it. Frankly, it's rather unpleasant.

52 I assigned a number arbitrarily. This is likely the worst bourbon I've ever had. I admit the buzz led me to try it, and I've now learned my lesson. Aroma: Sweet burnt sugar, mashed barn hay Taste: Matches the aroma, sweet caramel/vanilla, an 'off-putting' strange lingering flavor as mentioned. It tastes like fermented hay from a barn, grassy, earthy, and not in a good way. Overall: I wouldn't drink this even if offered for free. For $80 a bottle, I should have used the money for toilet paper and flushed it. I'd advise against spending money to try this. If you want a sample, I'll send you one. I'm curious if the original Kentucky version of this bourbon had a similar taste. Please comment if you have any information. Thanks everyone. Enjoy your bourbon!

This bourbon is quite something. I believe the narrative and heritage are why this bottle commands its current price. Cherry dominates the aroma, followed by strong charred oak. That oak character hits hard on the palate initially, along with a corn flavor. As you swallow, the oak and burn lessen somewhat, giving way to an ethanol taste. It's not terrible, but it's certainly an unusual bourbon. Rated 2.5 out of 5 barrel salutes. I'll try it again after it's been open a while to see if it improves.

Moving on to sample 1 from a friend. The legs are nice and the color is a pleasant golden hue. The aroma is more reminiscent of rye than bourbon. I detect a pronounced dill scent. There's also a note of alfalfa hay. I've only encountered that aroma in one other spirit; Ranger Creek 0.38 bourbon. The taste delivers that fantastic dill herb flavor. I would confidently say this has a 95% rye mashbill. Excellent rye character. Dill lingers for a moderate finish. The alcohol content is around 100 proof. A fine drink.

This particular bottling (they don't even label which one it is on the bottle) is a major letdown compared to a sampling I experienced about three years ago at a bar, and no, that previous one wasn't the original Kentucky Black Maple Hill. The prior sampling was intricate, perfumed, and harmonious, similar to Blanton's but superior. This bottling is harsh and offers little beyond peanuts and wood.