Eight Oaks Bourbon Whiskey

Tasted at room temperature / Norlan glass / no water or ice added. Batch 03. 88 proof. The aroma is alcohol, leather, and oak... Perhaps the faintest hint of vanilla as well. So far, it strongly suggests "youth" to me. On the palate, this confuses me. I was fully expecting a young, hot whiskey, so I was quite surprised by the less intense burn than anticipated. It's not mature and needs more time in the barrel, but the palate offers a pleasant combination of holiday spices, particularly cinnamon, some citrus zest, and a touch of caramel. It still drinks more like a 110 proof than a 90, but this surpassed expectations. The finish is medium to long, leaving notes of orange peel and cinnamon lingering. Not a whiskey I would purchase again until it has more age, but it's heading in the right direction and exceeded my (very low) expectations.

Color: Straw, Gold Aroma: Rubbing alcohol, grass Mouth Feel: Thin, Dry Flavor: Rubbing alcohol, Grass, Slightly Buttery Finish: Short and Dry with a little bit of spice Overall: A straightforward light and dry bourbon. It leans more towards whiskey than bourbon for my taste, but it's acceptable given the price. I tried it neat and then with an ice ball. It might work well as a mixer. It's not bad to sample, but I likely won't buy more than a bottle or two in my lifetime.

From Batch 4. The aroma is very sweet caramel with some spice. Cinnamon notes are present. The flavors align well, but then the wood becomes prominent. This is even more apparent in the lingering finish.

The nose is subdued, offering a hint of vanilla and a touch of sweetness upfront, which then calms down and finishes with a mild roughness.

Nose: sweet maple, caramel, and fruit notes. Palate: notes of leather and spice.

A hint of vanilla and smoke, with a somewhat sharp finish.