Woodinville Private Select Straight Bourbon

This is a full proof single barrel select from a wine barrel. Barrel 3602, bottle 95, 120.26 proof. After uncorking, the nose took about 20 minutes to truly open up in the glass. Once it did, I detected abundant caramel, vanilla, light oak, some rye spice with hints of spearmint, and dark berries later. The taste presented brown sugar, vanilla beans, sawdust, hints of spice, some vegetal notes, and richness. It has a pleasant slight bite on the tongue. Revisiting, I found more flavors. Earthy, almost like morel mushrooms. Hints of bacon fat. Moving on... The finish is relatively long, with cinnamon, sweetness, dark berries, and bitter oak balancing the sweetness and spice. Subtle notes of leather emerge on the finish. So, I understand the excitement. It's certainly a standout barrel proof. I'll be comparing it to a private club barrel pick arriving in a few weeks. Tonight, I tasted it against Jack Daniel's BP and Elijah Craig BP Batch B520. Big hitters. Three very different drams. The Jack Daniel's is sweet upfront with some oak and spice. The Elijah Craig BP is all leather, wood, and char. The Woodinville falls somewhere in between. Sweeter than the Elijah Craig, with more depth and darker flavors than the Jack Daniel's. Interestingly, tasting it alongside the others made me like it more than on its own. It's curious how other flavors influence perception.

Sipped neat. First pour from the bottle. A store selection from Party Source. My initial experience with Woodinville. I had been anticipating a cask strength store pick from a retailer I respect before trying it. This has a dense, thick aroma. Leather, tobacco, and chocolate come to mind first. Plenty of clove. Stewed pears in a caramel sauce. A deep bread note, almost like pumpernickel. I detect a slight hint of youthfulness, which might also be due to the high proof. This nose has good depth, I'm impressed so far. Mouthfeel is average. Appears very dark on the tongue. Leather and a touch of brown sugar. The taste immediately hits me with pleasant vanilla, but then quickly darkens again. The vanilla shifts to a darker bread, then into caramel, and finally chocolate. Tobacco reappears in the finish and lingers in the legs. Wow, Woodinville. You've caught my attention. This avoids many common craft stereotypes and truly establishes its own flavor profile. I wish I knew its age. I'll need to inquire. It's interesting; it's sweet but then primarily stays within a dark flavor range. The legs linger and are very pleasant company. These tobacco notes are also quite good. If you're undecided about this brand, I recommend giving it a try!

Nose: A gentle aroma of oak and vanilla, not too strong. Taste: Vanilla and raisin notes, with a rather brief finish and not a lot of depth. Overall: To be clear, I purchased this bottle for $25 from a clearance section at a particular store. Given the cost, it felt like a sensible choice, and I'd heard favorable commentary regarding Woodinville. Personally, I found it quite ordinary. While it lacked an age statement, it struck me as immature. I will admit, it was quite smooth considering the elevated proof, but I was anticipating more pronounced flavors. This particular spirit didn't deter me from exploring their other offerings, but it also didn't impress me greatly.

This is a private selection from North Carolina. Smell: Notes of caramel and vanilla accompany a hint of oak. Taste: The intense flavor of charred wood, perhaps hickory or mesquite, is immediately apparent and almost overpowering. Caramel then emerges. However, the potent woodiness makes it difficult to distinguish other flavors. A subtle chocolate note appears near the finish. The flavors persist for a considerable time. I just wish the wood flavor wasn't so dominant, allowing the other notes to be more prominent and noticeable.

This barrel selection, number 7500 and bottle 146, presents with 115.20 proof. The aroma offers hints of sweet corn and raisin, along with a subtle grassy quality. The texture is distinct. Initially, a mild sweetness with honey nut notes is perceived. It finishes quite dry, suggesting the presence of rye characteristics, including anise and a subtle echo of Willett rye, though less pronounced. The medium-duration finish is pleasantly dry, featuring oak tannins.

Great Lakes 3595. 60.19% Aroma - sweet sugar candy, oak, and vanilla Taste - oak is prominent, followed by vanilla. The 60.19% ABV is noticeable. However, a couple of drops of water (or an ice cube)… brings out more spice along with a hint of butterscotch. 4.25