Vital stats: single malt, 55% ABV, aged in used bourbon barrels, non-age statement, non-chill filtered, natural color Color: pale straw, white wine Nose: Smoke and hay at first, then green apple, salt, and white pepper. A savory charred meat note starts to predominate after a few moments in the glass. Palate: Quite spicy and peppery, with ample smoke and more savory umami notes, but now it's more of a smoked deli meat, like pastrami, than a blackened steak. Plenty of black pepper. There's a little orchard fruit, but it's quite faint. Despite the high proof, water doesn't add much, almost flattening it out, if anything.

- ()