Ragged Branch Double Oaked Wheated Bourbon

Aroma A good amount of spice and char, but also red fruit, like cherry or plum. Palate It resembles barrel-finished French toast with cherry compote: sweet maple syrup, whipped cream, and cinnamon, complemented by a distinct charred note that provides heft and body to a spirit that is only about 5 years old. Finish Long and predictably sweet, following the palate. It transitions from spicy char to fruity, vanilla sweetness, leaving behind only a hint of spice. Overall In appearance and taste, this whisky surprisingly suggests a wine-cask finish, despite not being one. The closest comparison I can make is to Knob Creek 15 year, even with the significant age difference. It holds its own against Woodford Double Oaked, but I believe it avoids the tart tannins that detract from the Woodford, despite the similar price. While I generally dislike wheated bourbons, after a distillery tasting, this was the only bottle I purchased.

Rating at the distillery: Nose: toffee, candy corn Palate: barrel char, chocolate Finish: orange, brown sugar Much more complex than their standard wheated bourbon. Oily mouthfeel. Rating of the bottle I took home: Very poor. An odd sour aftertaste that persists for a very long time. Perhaps I just received a flawed bottle, but it bears no resemblance to what I sampled at the distillery.

I want to enjoy this more, but a medicinal oak presence is unavoidable. I'll keep it, but won't consume it neat.

Received this from a relative. Really enjoying it. A lot of oak and char are present, yet it maintains a pleasant sweet finish.

An excellent oaky flavor with sweet notes at the end. Too expensive for anything other than an occasional treat.

Noticeable vanilla notes and sweetness. A touch of spice at the beginning, but extremely smooth towards the end.