Like those whiskeys, this is expressive and well-spiced. The nose shows more barrel notes than the wheated release, with plenty of oak and clove, but there’s a thick layer of caramel sauce and gooey apple pie underneath that makes for a silky, sweet aroma.
The aroma is initially a bit gritty and grain-forward, with lots of roasted cereal and creamed corn upfront. With time to unwind, silkier notes of butterscotch, vanilla pudding, and peanut butter arrive, but there’s still not a ton of depth.
The nose starts a little funky but intriguing, with warmed butter and mozzarella cheese drifting into herbal characters like spearmint and dried sage.
If you’re even semi-American whiskey savvy, you recognize the phrase in this bottle’s name: Cask Strength Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon. Well, it’s true: no water was added to achieve 100 proof; just the mingling of sub- and above-100-proof casks to attain that essential proof for BIB.
Its aromas begin with bright citrus, ripe fruit, a whiff of mint and some a solid serving of baking spice. Unexpectedly, toffee joins the party alongside maple syrup and caramelized brown sugar.
A quick small of this whiskey, and there’s no question about how it was finished. The nose is stuffed full of juicy apples. The Calvados barrel influence is big and bold without overdoing things. The juicy apple is mixed with brown sugar, caramel, and oak, resulting in a well-based aroma…
Doubtless, some will like these gentle sippers, but they’re too gentle for my preference. They lack the backbone a barrel can provide and the magical flavors great oxidization deliver to dazzle.
The price point is nearly disqualifying. And I thought about it for quite a while. But it is an enjoyable older bourbon, and if you can manage to score a half ounce at whatever bar these end up at, it’s worth a try, if only to see what Dickel thinks deserves this price tag.
A quick whiff of the nose, and there’s no denying this is a rye whiskey reporting for duty. It has all the classic hallmarks of a high rye mash bill rye whiskey from MGP–candied fruit, bright rye spice, caramel and juicy fruit.
Pour this one for those who care about their bourbon but not their budget. The nose, taste and finish are classic MGP, which longtime bourbon drinkers will enjoy immensely.
