Old forester single barrel nick's club & 1010 collab (warehouse H floor 4)

Nose: Abundant caramel, a massive amount of caramel, but surprisingly not hot on the nose despite the proof. Initially neat, after opening up, I detected peanuts and sawdust. Later, red fruits, possibly resembling red twizzlers. With a few drops of water, the nose became more lively, still with plenty of caramel, peanuts, and definitely twizzlers. Body: Medium to full. The initial sip coated my mouth well. Adding water slightly reduced the substantial mouthfeel, thinning it out. Lesson learned: don't add too much water to this one. Palate: No 'Kentucky hug' despite the proof, which I find surprising. Caramel. Almost chewy but not dry. Barrel char is present (a flavor I enjoy). With water, the barrel char disappeared, replaced by rye spiciness. Towards the end, I noticed a salty element, like salted caramel, which was unexpected. Finish: Initially, I perceived this as long and lingering, a characteristic I really appreciate in a good bourbon. Smoke and tobacco leaf notes are present (which I love). This finish remained unchanged with a few drops of water. Note: I was anticipating this barrel selection when a friend acquired it. This is now the highest proof bourbon I have open. I let this dram sit in the glass for at least 30 minutes before sipping, but nosed it immediately, and as noted, it did NOT smell hot. To me, this is a good, perhaps great, bourbon. It competes with the likes of ECBP and Larceny. The flavor is bold, possibly a bit one-dimensional with a lot of caramel, but other nuances are present. It doesn't drink or smell like its stated proof. If you enjoy bold flavors, avoid adding too much water, as it seems responsive to just a drop or three, but more is unnecessary. I like this one very much.