Proof: 90.8

Age:  24 Years

Distillery: Diageo (Bernheim Distilled)

Mashbill: 86/6/8

Price: $149.99 (when released)

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Nose: Almond, Allspice, Black Pepper, Musty Charred Oak, Butterscotch, Caramel, Cherry, Chocolate, Coffee, Ginger spice, Hazelnut, Leather, Musty, Oak, Nutmeg, Raisin, Smokey, Dried Pipe Tobacco, Vanilla bean

Taste: Tannic/Buttery mouthfeel. Brown Butter, Brown Sugar, Dark Chocolate, Fruity – dried cherry / blackberry, Maple Syrup / Molasses, Vanilla, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Licorice, Nutmeg, Leather, Tobacco, Bitter Oak.

Finish: Medium Length. Oak, lots of it. Charred, musty oak that taste freshly burned but water soaked at the same time – almost seems like it should be horrible, but then those rich molasses and dried fruit notes show through bringing the rich oak spice and tannins. Licorice and earthen dried tobacco, with that leathery chocolate musty note seal the deal with just a nice sweet touch of brown sugar and vanilla.

Overall: I used to hate this. Used to. This bottle had been open for awhile before I went back to it and shared some with a friend, discovering how much it had changed, and how much I loved it.

24 year bourbon isn’t all too popular, and these days – that’s a five digit bottle. This, for around $150 when I got it, was a steal! That earns a 10 rating for price alone.

My palate has changed over time, as will yours, and I’ve grown to love these old, rich, funky styles of bourbon. When they came out – I complained it was too thin and too low of proof; but I understand now. You don’t want to literally eat the wood, just drink it.

Oak bomb start to finish, rich chocolate, tobacco, and spice notes shine through with a delicate mouthfeel that I wish I would have appreciated years ago. Well worth it and I wish there was more of this delicious Bernheim juice left

Rating: 7.7/10

Value Rating: 10/10

Total Score: 8.85/10