Doc Swinson's Exploratory Cask Series 15 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon (Release No. 6)

Nose - rich toffee, vanilla, brown sugar, roasted peanut, black pepper, caramelized banana, coffee, cocoa, cinnamon, leather, clove, cola, apple, cherry, tobacco, strong oak, moderate to high ethanol burn. Taste - toffee, butterscotch, vanilla, peanut butter, strong oak, burnt brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, clove, dark chocolate, black pepper, apple, black cherry, leather, tobacco, moderate alcohol bite, finishing medium long with toffee, creamy peanut, apple, and baking spice flavors. Is it Beam? Is it Heaven Hill? Is it Barton? Perhaps we’ll never know. Who cares. This bourbon is tasty. Its old age is very present, with deep, rich oak dominating the entire experience. Those quintessential American notes immediately make themselves known. Caramel, vanilla, peanut, apple, cherry, baking spices. They’re all here and richer, more well integrated than in more youthful whiskies. The texture is full and luxurious, coating the mouth completely, leading to a satisfyingly long finish. This particular sample is pulled from Batch 8, bottled at 57.1%. If I had to find some fault here, I’d say it’s probably past it’s prime, with oak starting to play a more commanding role than it should. Also, there’s a bit of sourness on the mid palate and into the finish. It’s not off putting, but noticeable nonetheless. Maybe bottling at a higher proof or a younger age would make a positive difference. I poured this next to my current favorite ECBP, the B520 batch. I like the Elijah Craig better, albeit not tremendously. It’s punchier, fruitier, and spicier, lacking the slight sourness of the Doc Swinson as well. They share many of the same qualities, but the ECBP is a notch above in most ways. Maybe I’m just a sucker for the higher proof. Who knows. Overall, the Doc Swinson is great and will likely satisfy most bourbon palates. However, there are better bourbons for the money, at least for my tastes. A big thank you to a friend for the sample. I likely wouldn’t have had the opportunity to try this otherwise.

Doc Swinson has emerged as a Non-Distilling Producer in the last year or so, mostly releasing sub-$50 bottlings of moderately aged TN whiskey (Dickel) and youngish MGP rye. But this Rare Release #6 is an 18-barrel batch of 15 year-old Kentucky bourbon, widely speculated to be from Heaven Hill. Nose - Peanut shells, leather, oak, tobacco, caramel, vanilla, orange peel, cherries, and some varnish. A little hot at first, but opens up after some breathing time. Palate - mouthfeel is fairly thick but not really oily, starting with dry roasted peanuts, vanilla, burnt caramel, maple, nutmeg, allspice, and oak. The moderately long finish closes out with some slightly tannic oak, dark chocolate, and dark brown sugar. There's a Kentucky hug, but no harsh burn. So yeah, I feel confident in saying this is definitely sourced from Heaven Hill. It has that dry-roasted peanut note that I often get from HH (different from the Beam peanut funk). I would put this in a similar league to some of the better Elijah Craig Barrel Proof releases I've tried. It has a little more oak and a little less caramel, so I could see people's preferences going either way depending on what they like. Given the age and proof (118.2), I'm guessing this is from a lower tier than ECPB usually is, but I'm not one to judge a whiskey on its ABV. Cask strength whiskeys under 120proof are kind of my sweet spot anyway. At twice the price of ECPB the value proposition might seem questionable; but lets be honest, ECBP is way underpriced for the current market (which is why it's so hard to find in most places). My suggestion is anybody who likes HH in general and ECBP in particular should definitely go for this one if they see it.

A sample provided by a friend, this is from batch 8, bottled at 57.1% from an unknown Kentucky distillery. The aroma begins with a blend of powdered sugar, florals, and aged furniture scents, shifting to creamy butterscotch caramel atop roasted peanuts and dark chocolate cocoa powder. It continues with five-spiced apple pie, candied orange peel, and cherries jubilee, transitioning to spearmint and old leather-bound books with a strong alcohol presence. The taste has a medium body, starting with candy fruit chews followed by a moderate, ashy oak spice that gradually fades to dark chocolate-covered peanut brittle and toasted marshmallow. Then come five-spiced apple pie, candied orange peel, and maraschino cherries, leading to spearmint, old leather-bound books, and polished mahogany with a strong alcohol presence. The finish is medium in length, featuring moderate ashy oak, chocolate-covered peanuts, toasted marshmallow, Granny Smith apple peel, maraschino cherries, and old leather. Overall, this is an excellent bourbon offering bold, traditional flavors with a fantastic aroma. However, the taste starts with a moderate bitterness and sourness from the aged oak overwhelming some of the bourbon notes. It finishes with moderate bitterness initially before fading, allowing the citrus, nuts, and leather to emerge. This could likely have been bottled a few years sooner to reduce the oak's influence, but it remains a very enjoyable whiskey.

Drinking it neat from the first pour. This is release 009 from NASA Liquors, a 15-year Heaven Hill at 113.8 proof. The aroma is truly delicious. It presents as dark, dark oak, which could be described as sweet oak on its own, but it's enveloped in an immense sweetness. Imagine caramel cheesecake covered in powdered sugar, with cherries in a cherry sauce on top, and a lot of cinnamon. Yes, a great nose. The mouthfeel is peculiar, a bit rough and grainy, with initial wood bitterness. It really borders on being over-oaked. However, it develops nicely on the palate. The bitterness persists as a low, dark note, but there are good flavors to be found. The caramel cheesecake with a hint of cherry is discernible. It becomes bitter again on the finish. I'll let it sit for 20 minutes before making a final assessment... After airing, it improved slightly. More sweetness is apparent, and the bitterness has lessened, though it's still noticeable throughout. Unfortunately, the label is the most appealing aspect of this bottle. Hopefully, allowing it to rest on the shelf will make it more enjoyable.

It tasted like lead paint that had been stored in an attic for 15 years. I had the chance to sample this during an extended whiskey tasting session, but unfortunately, I couldn't take detailed notes. I use the rating system outlined below. The producer uses a 5-point scale, while I use a 10-point scale, but I'm sure you can figure out the conversion! 1. Abysmal - So bad I discarded it. 2. Inferior - I would avoid consuming it. 3. Poor - Contains multiple flaws. 4. Subpar - Not unpleasant, but many other options are preferable. 5. Average - Simply satisfactory. 6. Good - Above average. 7. Excellent - Significantly better than average. 8. Outstanding - In a class of its own. 9. Exceptional - A personal all-time favorite. 10. Flawless

Nose: straightforward. Wood, cinnamon, almond, salted caramel. Spices for baking. Sweetened orange. Body: medium Palate: caramel, caramel with smoke, and candied orange. Finish: lasting, caramel with smoke. Significantly longer than the first taste indicates. Note: this is for the 107.2 proof (53.6 ABV) batch. At first taste, this is good. I thoroughly enjoy this. A sample from a friend. Exceptionally smooth with a prolonged smoky finish. This was quite pleasant for a spring break trip's drink up north. The rumor is this is 15 year old knob creek. Regardless, it's very good.