Whiskey Row Distiller's Select Bourbon Whiskey

What an unusual product. Certainly tasty, as I recall from my visit to the Kentucky Artisan Distillery, but it feels like a generic brand that isn't really needed. Even stranger, I've seen many listings and tastings for "Distiller's Select," like in this listing's picture, but my bottle has "Shippingport" there instead. Also, maybe the photos I've seen are poor quality, but I thought Distiller's Select had a red cork seal sticker, while this Shippingport version has an orange one. Perhaps they are different batches or something? I suppose, for the record, this is batch #4, barrel #3. It's not worth wasting anyone else's time, or my own, to create a new listing, though. The aroma is extremely dry and thin, but as I bring it closer, I detect more warm spice and barrel notes, with an odd addition of brandy or raisin. Honestly, the nasal burn is incredibly intense, similar to that of a very low-quality whiskey, which concerns me based on my previous tasting memory (again, that could have been a completely different batch or even product). This is why I am strongly against blended bourbons; even though the flavor profile is fundamentally similar, it deserves to stand on its own, or not exist at all, which I feel reveals the quality of your product before I even taste it. Lots of burnt sugar clinging to the pot, on a body thinner than rainwater. Raw distillate is truly the best description here, with the grain dominating excessively, and still that peculiar brandy note. The finish even reminds me of a Speyside Scotch... What is this? The proof is clearly low, which is evident from the start, but the burn is extreme, indicating the lack of quality here. This was a major letdown. It's been so long since I tasted this product at the distillery that I'm confident it was a different batch, and again, since it's blended, it was likely not even conceived with the same idea. Having said that, I'm really not even sure what the intended profile was here, and I would have enjoyed participating in the blending process to better comprehend this one. I've avoided purchasing this dozens of times due to the price, and now I can truthfully say I harbor significant resentment for spending about $50. If I've sounded too critical up to this point, I hope that knowing someone charged that amount of money and I paid it for this disappointment helps to clarify my perspective.

Barrel 1, Batch 3. A nicely balanced mix. I tasted it alongside Kentucky Owl Bourbon, and Whiskey Row was superior. It hits all the correct notes and is more captivating.

A 4-grain spirit with a distinct flavor, though different from traditional bourbon. It's smooth and good, but I don't prefer its flavor profile as much as others do.

Nose- appears young, with butterscotch and grain aromas Body- tastes young, like sweet tea and corn Finish- notes of orange marmalade and buttery grains

Very smooth and mellow with subtle vanilla hints. Not excessively sweet. Lacks prominent barrel character. A good whiskey for casual drinking. Consumed neat.

A light and sweet profile featuring vanilla and banana notes.