12-19 Seelbachs Private Reserve Batch 3

👃: Vanilla, Mango, Walnut, Oak, Almond, Peat Moss, Cinnamon, Clove, Pepper

👅: Orange, Tobacco, Malted Barley, Cherry, Black Coffee, Almond, Oak, Campfire Smoke

🏁: Long, tart finish that fades into black coffee and warm spices.

Excellent. All around fantastic and complex. Very stout at a little over 58% ABV. This has a fair amount of ethanol burn if you swallow too quickly, but mellows out if you hold it on the tongue for just a second. Lots of sweet and bitter orange notes at the front end, and a complex mix of fruit, nut, oak and spice on the back. Batch 3 is a blend of 84% 4y9m kentucky bourbon and 16% 15-year kentucky bourbon. They finished a little less than 2/3 of it in Triple Sec barrels (which explains the orange and spice), about 1/3 in Pinot Meunier still wine barrels (adding fruitiness, spice and depth, and whose wine went on to become champagne) and the leftover was double oaked. The final blend was rested in steel for a bit to come together before bottling. This is a very unique, complex, and subtle glass. This is jumping straight up to the 🥈 spot for me.

#bourbon #kentucky #topshelf #top3 #number2