Dowling Collector's Edition 21 year

During a recent visit to Louisville, a few new places were found that had some aged bourbon bottles available for tasting. At one of these establishments, a discussion was underway about bourbon, covering the search, discovery, and eventual letdowns associated with certain overly-hyped labels. The proprietor then kindly drew our attention to this Collectors Choice 21 year, distilled in 1948 and bottled in 1969 at 47.3% ABV by Dowling Distillers. He stated that no contemporary bourbon could rival an old, dusty bottle like this one, immediately necessitating a pour for examination. The bouquet begins with profound and opulent scents of deep earth, aged cigars, and leather, which are prominent but recede to allow sweeter notes of toffee corn, dense dark chocolate cake adorned with candied figs, followed by the characteristic bourbon citrus of tangerine, cinnamon apple crumble, and flamed black cherries, ultimately returning to deep, aged, resinous oak without any alcohol sting. The palate possesses a thick, engine oil consistency, starting with caramelized figs, cavernous earthiness, metallic traces, and antique leather-bound books, then butterscotch caramel over freshly made popcorn and Black Forest gateau, succeeded by seared tangerine, sautéed apples, and balsamic strawberries, transitioning to freshly ignited pipe tobacco, cloves, crystallized ginger, and black tea with a mild alcohol prickle. The conclusion is extended, featuring butterscotch caramel-coated popcorn, Black Forest cake, cocoa bits, dried cherries, pipe tobacco, stony earthiness, and aged leather-bound books, which persists for several minutes. The owner was correct; this is simply an exceptional whiskey, remarkably intricate, with aged oak, minerality, motor oil, and citrus fruits, presenting bold and perfectly harmonized flavors that truly demonstrate the magnificence of some of these old, dusty bourbons. Considering its online price of $2400 per bottle, this is unfortunately not a purchase I will make, but I remain highly optimistic about having the opportunity to sample it again on a future trip to Louisville. Should anyone encounter this bottle or even a pour at a justifiable cost, I strongly advise pursuing it, as this is one of those genuinely unforgettable beverages that offers more of an experience. Even as the finish eventually fades, its memory will likely remain with me indefinitely.