Winchester Single Barrel Select Straight Bourbon

I'm not sure where to begin with this one. For those unaware, this is apparently straight bourbon (at least 2 years old) that they then filter and use a specific light/sound/pressure/vibration method that they claim 'rapidly ages the spirit,' making it taste years older than it is. The entire Winchester range is heavily promoted by Total Wine, so I gave in and sampled it one day, the $80 straight single barrel option. Honestly, I'm astonished. How they can justify selling this garbage for $80 and do so with a clear conscience is truly disturbing. It's awful. Nose: Intense, sweet, and sticky corn. A faint hint of caramel, but it's more reminiscent of canola oil or corn syrup. Palate: Tastes like it's sourced from Dickel. Sweet corn and caramel, with a slight tang at the end. The palate is hot from alcohol, despite only being 90 proof. I've had 120 proof spirits that are smoother, for about half the price (like Knob Creek SiB). Finish: Sweet corn, but with a strong mineral taste. No oak, no smoke, no burnt sugars. In conclusion, I would never purchase this, and I sincerely hope you don't either. I shudder to think how bad the standard Winchester offerings are, but I will never find out. If you enjoy corn flavor, just buy Mellow Corn. It's significantly better.