Castle & Key Small Batch Bourbon 2023 (Batch 2)

The nose is delightful with hints of orange, chocolate, and a touch of barley funk. The palate is somewhat grainy and young, but includes a pleasant, light honey note. The finish is big and bold with leather, a hint of smoke, and more oak than anticipated. It starts well, finishes strongly, but is a bit lacking in the middle. It's not bad, but not outstanding. Decent for its price, but not much more.

Nose: Pleasant. Light oak notes. Palate: A solid Kentucky embrace. It improves with each sip. Very smooth. I detect caramel. Finish: Caramel and a lingering warmth. Water?: Significantly reduces the burn. Reveals a lot of oak after the water. I think I might prefer it slightly more on an ice ball.

Vanilla on the nose. Cinnamon and spice on the finish. I'm glad I purchased this, but overall, it might not quite justify the price.

Just 'adequate'. I anticipated better, but that doesn't mean it wasn't good. A little too much sharpness.

It has a gentle and mildly sweet character. I was quite pleased with it, especially considering the price.