21/11/2022 StilL 630

StilL 630 4yo Missouri Straight Bourbon b.2019 (45%, OB Bill 266, B#10, b#177): nose: one may be hard-pressed to spot a Bourbon, so much it resembles an old herbal liqueur -- Chartreuse, Becherovka, Bénédictine, Brancamenta, Génépi. It has a strong wood presence, with charred oak, toasted and scraped, old shelves that have just received a lick of varnish. At last, more traditional markers appear in the shape of corn syrup and wood lacquer, reminiscent of a grain whisky -- which, of course, this would be, were it following the Scottish nomenclature. Herbs do not stay far away, mind: pine liqueur comes back with a vengeance, now spilled on golden toasted bread. The second nose adds a note of autumn fruit, though it is difficult to tell which -- walnuts, perhaps? The drupe, not the shelled kernel. It does develop a musky tone too, at any rate, as well as mulch. Mouth: more pine goodness and toasted wood. In fact, we have toasted pine cones, oozing delicate sap. Delicate? Well, not for long! Soon, we have fierce menthol, acidic pine needles, Gocce Pino, and a minute note of rubber, unless it is mulch again. The second sip is in line, the texture walking a tightrope between acidic and chewy, and the whole achieving a remarkable freshness, despite being clearly influenced by wood. That small note of eucalyptus, perhaps. Finish: much more behaved than the mouth suggested, it does not break with the tradition; here are strong pine-forest tastes, menthol, old shelves, and an overall rubbery impression (the texture, more than the bitter taste). Corn syrup and wood lacquer are virtually absent, strangely enough, as is vanilla. Repeated sipping brings eucalyptus oil to the fore. Solid Bourbon. 7/10 (Thanks for the dram, JS)