Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Limited Edition 2021

This years offering features a 7-year small-batch bourbon finished in French Armagnac barrels. A rustic, full-bodied brandy, Armagnac boasts notes of toffee, butterscotch, and chocolate, which complements the sweeter flavors of bourbon especially when paired with the bold, oaky flavor of the 7-year bourbon.

Appearance:Dark amber, tending toward orange. Impressive legs on the side of a Glencairn.

Nose:Theres something floral going on, making me think of lavender and potpourri. Thats almost certainly the Amarone influence, which also comes through with a whiff of fresh apricot.

Palate:Theres a spiciness in the mouth that you dont pick up on the nose. On my first taste, a surprising cracked-pepper influence was more pronounced than the less-surprising honey and vanilla.

Finish: Give this bourbon a few minutes and maybe a splash of water, though, and it changes. In the second wave, I found plum, pipe smoke and soft, supple leather.