Elijah Craig, 18 yrs, 45 %, Bourbon, WB261148

This one was like the Holy Grail for me to obtain, but a small window of opportunity opened: a drop in price, and I seized it.

On the nose, there's an unusual burst of bold and distinct umami notes, reminiscent of fried roast or barbecued food. Smoked salmon, grilled vegetables, bananas and pineapple. Now more roasted things... almonds, other nuts, peanut butter and marzipan. Mushrooms and a sweaty sensation linger in the nose.

Mouth: Unfortunately, the low ABV and the processing of this beverage result in a lack of depth and character. The aromas remain subtle: restrained sweetness, oak, tannins, cinnamon and nutmeg. The nutty notes are there, but behind a curtain.

Finish: It's a little hot, but there's no Kentucky hague. Oaky bitterness and tannins linger. The holy grail... just a cup... "Do not touch the Grail without belief!" — Stewart Stafford.

90/88/87

Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch, 54.5 %, Bourbon, WB285863

On the nose, there is a very creamy sensation with bursts of vanilla volcanoes, vanilla here and there, and all kinds of sweet cakes involving vanilla. There are also hints of cotton candy and glue, but not too much. It is an aromatic experience that most people would describe as smooth. However, smooth is not really a member of the tasting circle. We must try to describe this sensation using a more meaningful term. How about this: the sensation is like cleaning your nose with a silky napkin?

Mouth: A similar sensation to the silky one on the nose. There are more herbs, as well as cinnamon and nutmeg. However, the characteristic we are determined to identify is probably a lack of character. With more patience, the flavour of apples moves shyly forward.

Finish: There are traces of oak, a hint of pepper and a sense of disappointment when compared to previous expressions. This one seems designed to do no harm, but it remains a little boring in the process. Adding a few drops of water causes the aromas to vanish almost completely. On the palate, the tasting circle remains empty and the finish is watery.

89/87/86

Blanton's Straight From The Barrel, #4 Charred American White Oak Barrel, 64.8 %, #24, Warehouse H - Rick No. 44 - 129.6 Proof, Bourbon, WB195915

Nose: Endless sweets, mainly fruity, with a few cream candies mixed in, increasing the dimensionality, but master control is definitely on the fruity caramel side of the force. The caramel candies are in the pan, however, and continue to caramelise. However, however, however, the aroma changes every second, every minute, every hour. Now refreshing herbal notes appear, like a multidimensional world, a shift from worlds to a herbaceous, spicy world. The world of furniture polish degrees of freedom and adhesive change rates do not yet appear through hidden wormholes. In the space-time continuum, powdered sugar paradise apples appear, reminiscent of another world in the multiverse, where matter and antimatter combine to form aromatic sugar bursts, fascinating.

Mouth: Very sweet and yet many spices, mainly of an oriental nature.

Cinnamon and nutmeg spiciness combine to form pimento-like filaments. Wafting through these gives the mouthfeel cayenne pepper-like vibrations. The flavours modulate and oscillate from sweetness, spice, to herbs and spiciness and back again.

Finish: Oily texture, a trace of all flavours remains like a trail in the snow, ionised particles as remnants of a violent flash of flavour through the dimensions. The addition of H2O molecules changes the composition of the stars to more woody auras with protuberances of bitter almonds.

90/90/89