Boone County 14 Year Single Barrel Bourbon

This is the Gallinstein selection #6. Nose: Rich dessert-like caramel and vanilla with a satisfying oak finish. It has a subtle cherry presence, reminiscent of older whiskies, but it's not prominent (adding water doesn't enhance it). It hints at aged whisky but doesn't quite reach that level, and frankly, at 14 years, it doesn't quite feel like an older bourbon, which I typically associate with 15 years or more (a small detail, but noteworthy). A little water does reveal very faint traces of peanuts that would be easily missed if not actively searching. Taste: I detect some cherry, pleasant oak, vanilla, and caramel. The flavors are starting to resemble older bourbon more as this bottle remains open. It's rich and full-bodied, with an abundant flavor profile. The oak is quite nice here, though not outstanding. There's a note, a fusion of vanilla and oak, that comes across as slightly immature in the mid-palate and feels somewhat out of place. This particular note consistently detracts from the experience for me, and at $250, I really shouldn't have purchased it. In fact, I believe I actually enjoyed the standard 12-year offering more, despite its lower ABV and 2-year younger age statement. Initial impression: cherry and rich, aged leathered wood. Transitions to vanilla and young oak. Finishes with some caramel and a pleasant, lightly toasted oak, but still a hint of youthful wood character. Score: 2.75. This feels like a low score, and while I try to exclude price from my reviews and use it primarily for the reader's benefit, I cannot avoid lowering this score slightly due to the price tag. It's an exceptionally expensive bourbon, and there are simply too many discordant notes present for the cost. Make no mistake, it's a fine whisky, but I've encountered many superior ones.

Served neat. From a Party Source pick, initial pour from the bottle. It's brighter than I anticipated for a 14-year-old. Fresh raspberries and strawberries topped with whipped cream. Pie crust, a buttery pie crust. I detected the oak, but had to search intently for it. Vanilla and cherry. A wonderful aroma. Crisp, creamy ripe fruit pie with a side of natural vanilla ice cream. Seriously, that's delicious. The mouthfeel is flawless. It's oily, coats the tongue, and the flavors simply take over. Sweetness of cherry and vanilla. The flavors continue to emerge. Cherry layered upon cherry blends into vanilla, and then the oak appears, but it's still in the form of the buttery, slightly scorched crust encasing everything. The cherry and vanilla persist as long as you allow them to. Wow. I've heard that caution is advised with these BC14s due to excessive oak, but I don't perceive it here. The absence of oak and caramel characteristics is somewhat surprising, but the combination of cherry, fruit, vanilla, and pie crust is outstanding. These Boone County single barrels remain my personal favorites in my collection.

I concur with the reviewer who awarded this 5 Stars. I don't own this bottle, but I'm grateful for generous friends who share their bourbon with me.

An interesting apple flavor was present right away, with a touch of balanced spice that faded as smoothly as it appeared.

From a Good Spirits store selection, 115 proof.

Excellent!