Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Old

sample from a friend

Nose: A little varnish at the forefront, but slight. Caramel, syrup. lots of candy corn (really seems to hit the mark as a descriptor, if I do say so). Some orange extract, chocolate, and wood. Vanilla, too. Sugarcane, coconut, and rock candy. The alcohol always sticks out a bit and stays just ahead of the game. Buttery and candied cream corn.

Palate: All over the place, really. There is caramel. Strong corn, candy corn, and syrup sweetness in a brash attack, and then the alcohol comes apart with the wood. Tough to keep track of the development, but you are left with a sugary syrup and oily candy corn residue. Not bad.

Finish: Some wood, vanilla, maple syrup, candy corn, and rock candy. No surprises here. It seems denser and darker to me than some of the older PVWs, but it just doesn't come together. I can tell that there are things in there that I like and could really like, but it just doesn't get there for me.

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