21-year-old Bourbons are very rare, and many wind up tasting like an old oak stave. This is an exception.

Unlike the previous Jefferson’s Presidential Select releases, this Bourbon was not distilled at the legendary Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville. However, it’s just as good as those 17 and 18-year-old whiskies, with a spicy nose full of clove, nutmeg, leather, and hints of tobacco, oak, and orange peel. The taste has a strong bite of black pepper and cinnamon, while honey and vanilla add balance along with oak and clove notes. A splash of water rounds off the spicy notes a bit. The finish has a good balance of lingering soft clove, honey, and vanilla notes with a hint of oak. (May, 2013)