Eastern Kille Toasted Barrel Finish

This is a bourbon that only true connoisseurs will appreciate. Avoid sharing it with your less experienced whiskey-drinking companions. --- The release from about a year ago stood out to me as distinctive and unique (in a positive way) and worth purchasing, though it wasn't extraordinary. This recent batch has more age on it and has truly ascended to a new level. It's more mature than the prior release, yet still young at only 3 years old. It also possesses a certain heat that can make it challenging even for seasoned bourbon drinkers to enjoy. That said, there is something genuinely exceptional about this bourbon. The flavor is bold, and the mouthfeel is remarkable in a way I haven't encountered with other bourbons. I've acquired picks from Smitty's, Rishi's, and the Rockford Meijer, and the quality appears consistent across all these bottles (all three barreled on the same day, and bottled on the same day three years later). This might be my favorite spirit. It's far from flawless, but I sincerely hope we continue to see this offering with increasing age over time.

Nice color. The legs descend the glass rapidly, but the mark where the bourbon reached its highest point took a while to drop. Beyond the typical oak aroma, the nose has an apple or cinnamon scent hidden under a potent 124 proof. The taste seems a bit immature, and letting the bourbon linger on the tongue dulls the senses slightly. Inhaling as it moves across your palate will take your breath away. While it has oak and caramel, the high proof nearly prevents a good flavor experience. Combined with its youth, it's like riding a moped; fun to try, but you wouldn't want anyone to see you doing it.

Brown sugar and a hint of spice on the nose. Toasted barrel provides a great smoky/oaky initial flavor with a touch of fruitiness and some sweetness. An easy, smooth finish for something at 123 proof.

An oak-prominent nose. An oak-prominent taste. It feels like I’m in a woodworking shop. So much oak. I’m not displeased. A store selection from RePete at 126 proof. It doesn’t feel excessively strong. Because of the oak.

Unremarkable. Lacking distinction.