One Eight Distilling Untitled Whiskey No. 11

Undiluted. First pour from the bottle. This is the first in the Untitled line. All the finishing seems wild, and I've enjoyed Cognac-finished spirits recently. The aroma is profound. Chocolate-covered raisins. Tootsie roll. Baked dates in syrup. Pralines and rock candy. Sugared almonds. You get the idea about the sweetness; it's unavoidable. Deep, sweet, viscous. Medium body. Maple and Sherry hit first. Dark honey... I'm truly puzzled by this one. So much happening everywhere. Confused. The bourbon character is quite absent. It's all the finishing – the cognac, port, Sherry – at once. But a pleasant vanilla and butterscotch cover everything. The finish offers some good chocolate but is predominantly cognac-influenced. This is a wild pour. Difficult to classify as a bourbon. The finishing dominated all aspects. It's enjoyable and well-balanced given the extensive finishing. Distinctive and tasty.

Nose: corn, vanilla, sweet caramel, light raspberry intertwines. Dark cherry cordial. Cognac and tobacco. Taste: sherry makes its presence known along with intense oak and corn in the finish. A bit of smoked dark grapes. Adding water opens up the nose to cognac with light bourbon notes. Intense grape and tobacco with a syrupy, almond-like layer in the background. Same for the palate. It truly tastes like a mid-aged cognac with some bourbon notes mixed in. Dark chocolate, very sweet vanilla cream. Light tobacco and grape finish.

From a glencairn glass, the aroma is a blend of sweet fruit and brown sugar. The taste brings forth a sweet sherry flavor along with some slightly bitter fruit. Maple syrup is also present. The finish is a lingering combination of honey and oak, lasting a good while. This bottle is excellent, though its sweetness might not suit everyone. It's perfect for me. Outstanding.

Drinking it neat. The smell offers sweet berry and maple notes. The flavor is sweet berry and burnt sugar, transitioning to spicy oak with a lengthy, dry finish carrying berry spice.

Smooth and easy to drink. Orange peel notes are followed by berry and oak with a pleasing finish