Green River, Single Barrel Cask Strength, Straight Bourbon, NHCABC #1

A single barrel cask proof straight bourbon whiskey, BTB Edition #1, from New Hanover County ABC, North Carolina, at 61.9% ABV. It's NAS, but reportedly a mix of 5 and 7-year-old bourbons. Tasting neat. Golden brown with average coating legs in the glass. The aroma is light, with floral grain and vanilla. Tannic oak, char, vanilla, and a strong ethanol blast hit the palate. It's dry and dusty, with grassy spice, then brown sugar sweetness emerges. The mouthfeel is coating and oily. The aroma and palate are completely different. The finish begins with that hot, spicy mouthfeel and shifts to a slightly sweet-sour taste beneath a spicy, oaky foundation. It leaves a long tingling sensation. After half an hour in the glass, this bourbon is opening up, softening, and the butterscotch sweetness is intensifying against the tannic oak. Ice reduces the heat but not the smoky, tannic character. While the flavors aren't perfectly balanced, each component is good on its own. It's an interesting, challenging drink. I like the bottle's design--short and squat with a flat front and rounded back. I'm rating this whiskey a 4 for now and will contemplate it further over time.