Taster

Nose: Rich and heady. Plum jam, vanilla. Hint of mushroom and damp cellar. Peppery.

Palate: Both sweet and tangy. Spices and dark chocolate (chocolate-coated brandy cherries). Too aggressive undiluted. Cedar resin, balsamic notes.

Finish: Large, robust and lingering.

Comment: A tough guy exposing his complexity a bit too conspicuously. After dinner, with a cigar.

Score: 7.8

Taster

Nose: Very malty for a bourbon.

Palate: Malty, then buttery. Lots of flavour development. Vanilla. Liquorice.

Finish: Nice balance of oaky dryness. This level of woodiness is acceptable in a bourbon.

Comment: Fifteen years is quite old for a bourbon, but this is complex, rounded and a good example of Heaven Hill's style. Keeps the sweet notes dominant.

Score: 8