Blue Note 17 Year Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon

Thick, slow-moving legs in the glass. Light caramel cake and hay on the nose. Medium deep amber color. Viscous, coats the tongue well. The palate is sweet, peppery, and oaky. It has a slightly mineral quality, which isn't surprising given its origin (Tennessee). The finish lasts longer than expected based on the proof, mostly oaky tannins; likely over-oaked, which is always a possibility with older American whiskey. As a sourced 17-year-old, I didn't truly anticipate it being exceptional (if you had an amazing 17-year-old whiskey, would you sell it?), but I did expect more complex flavors. Overall disappointing, but a decent pour, just not worth the asking price. Adding a cube of ice nicely reduced the tannins, bringing out more cinnamon and clove notes. This is probably how I'll drink this bottle. Revisiting this bottle after letting it sit for a day. The nose is the same with the addition of cherry. The palate definitely gains cherry and a hint of chocolate and coffee. The mineral flavor pushes the taste towards cherry cough syrup, however. The finish fades into root beer candies.

Amazing. I really enjoyed this. Cherry, vanilla, oak, and hints of citrus appear here and there. You keep returning to it and discovering new things on the nose and palate. It has some depth and is far from being overly oaked despite the 17 years. Absolutely worth the retail price, and everyone who has tried it has liked it.

Remarkably well-balanced. Very sweet. What some identify as Flintstone vitamins, I perceive as nuttiness... so yes, I detect Dickel, and I love it. I'd give it a 4.5 out of 5.

106 proof - this was just a sample but quite solid. Quite sweet and light, rounded out by a peanut note!

The nose shows deep caramel and some brown sugar. The taste is lighter, with a more pronounced alcohol presence.

This is the best offering from this distillery, and they usually produce good spirits!