Blue Note Crossroads

I picked this up in Memphis, so why not try a Memphis bourbon? Well, it's finished there anyway. From my quick research, I discovered this starts its life in Indiana as a minimum 4-year-old MGP bourbon. This is supposed to be 35% rye, but it has very little spice, just a hint of cinnamon. Super smooth, and even more so considering it's 100 proof, which is several points higher than many other toasted oak offerings. It's sweet, but not excessively so, with notes of caramel and toasted marshmallow. The oak is noticeable, but not overpowering. This one has great balance. No bitter aftertaste, and very easy to drink. It's not very complex and could be a little spicier, but otherwise, this is quite tasty. After my initial tasting, I'd say this is competitive with some of my favorite double oaked/toasted oak bourbons.

I've noticed this frequently and always wanted to sample it. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to try a serving without purchasing a bottle. The aroma was sweet with a noticeable ethanol burn. Given it's only 100 proof, I didn't anticipate such a significant ethanol burn from the nose. The palate presented a confusing mix of ethanol taste with some earthy notes and then a touch of cinnamon. I wasn't impressed, and the finish reinforced my opinion. The finish was dominated by earthy oak notes with a slight sweetness. The ethanol burn was disruptive throughout, which was likely my least favorite aspect of this bottle. I had hoped for more flavor, however, this is only a $40 bottle. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this bottle. It just wasn't to my taste.

This is my third time trying it, first time reviewing. Enjoying it neat after letting it rest for 10 minutes. Nose - Exhibits an ethanol burn, is bland, and woody. Taste - Cherries are prominent initially, quickly followed by a pleasant oak flavor. Spice is present with a slight burn, along with light notes of maple and caramel. This spirit offers spicy maple caramel oak. It brings to mind a particular bourbon expression. Overall - Not nearly as impressive as some other special bottlings I've had, but it holds its own. A decent purchase for the price.

On the nose, leather, nutmeg, and a hint of sweet bread and oak. The palate is similar with wood, young apples, fall spices, and pie dough. It's also very sweet. A hit of hot pepper follows. Some astringency on the finish, but it fades quickly and gives way to the pepper which remains for quite some time.

The aroma consists of toasted oak, cinnamon, a touch of umami, vanilla, almonds, and fresh rye bread. Honey emerges after some time. On the palate, it is very smooth, sweet, and slightly peppery. Flavors include vanilla, toasted oak, honey, black pepper, cinnamon, and caramel apple. It's a bit thin, but certainly a good whiskey.

Nose: Primarily Caramel, slight ethanol burn. Palate: Cinnamon, Caramel, barrel spice. Finish: The Kentucky hug is long and lingers. Overall: A decent to solid pour. My tasting was from a freshly opened bottle. I'll revisit this one after it has been open for a while to see if it develops further.