James E. Pepper 3 Year Old Oloroso Cask Finish (That Boutique-y Whisky Company)

Nose: Fig pudding, chocolate, candied orange, acetone, barnyard (pig farm), oak, sweaty Palate: Strong alcohol, cranberries, vanilla, dark chocolate, spices (clove & cinnamon), caramel Finish: Rye, sherry, cherries, sweet & gristy. There's a dark, earthy note in the aftertaste. Cherries and cranberries are present throughout. Batch 1 1 of 1,622 bottles 50cl bottle A pig farm and sherry is a rather unusual combination! This is a strange mix of fruit and rye. I'm not certain if I enjoy it, but I think I do, though it's a bit odd. It's definitely a memorable, peculiar dram.

I don't believe I've ever tasted a rye whisky finished in sherry. [Brand Name] has taken what appears to be a below-average spirit, based on reviews of other James E. Pepper offerings, and transformed it into something not too bad. I won't get carried away and start raving, but [Brand Name] is a good independent bottler, and they've done a respectable job here. The only critique is that rye combined with Oloroso can be a bit excessively sweet, but generally, the Oloroso and peppery rye complement each other well. A solid 3.5.