This is the 2016 release of Rhetoric, and the third in a series of five planned annual releases for Rhetoric using the same basic stocks of whiskey originally distilled at Louisville’s Bernheim Distillery between 1990 and 1993 when it was owned by Diageo predecessor UDV, and was later moved to the warehouses at Stitzel-Weller Distillery for maturation.

The nose is oaky, but also has a hint of cedar shavings along with pipe tobacco, dark chocolate, and burnt caramel. The taste is tart and spicy with touches of lemon zest, linseed oil, black pepper, cinnamon, vanilla, honey, and black cherries. The finish is lingering and tart. (May, 2017)