Smooth Ambler Old Scout Bourbon 6 yr

This is a sourced whiskey from LDI distillery in Indiana... although I think maybe the name of that distillery has changed recently. Sorry, I don't keep up with the whiskey news like I used to!

Nose: Lot's of good old fashioned bourbon sweetness as the base, with a lot of prickly, "green," spicy notes as "high" notes on top. These are the notes that prickle your nose but aren't the main notes. There is some oak too but not in front of the sweetness. It's a nice nose! Very delicious.

Palate: Very sweet and very spicy too. Oak comes along on the finish but rides behind the sweet and spicy. Very luscious mouthfeel; mouthfeel is well above average probably due to the absence of chillfiltration.

Finish: Spice, oak, and some of those greenish notes like mint and bitter salad greens reappear too. Spice might actually outlast oak, which is pretty rare for a bourbon! Not very sweet on the finish; prompting you to wet and whet your palate again!

I note the quality on this because you can really feel it. There are no off notes anywhere; no cheap-boozy notes. Mouthfeel and flavor all deliver due to the quality presentation (high ABV, non-chillfiltered). It's really quite good as long as you like a rye-heavy bourbon that drinks a lot like a rye whisky (with more sweetness). If I were to pick mainstream whiskies that this was similar to, I'd say it was close to Wild Turkey 101 with a bit of Rittenhouse Rye, though a step above each in delivery. Pretty good!