Peerless Double Oak Straight Bourbon

Review by UPROXX The Whiskey: The whiskey is around five to six years old and comes from one barrel that lets the grains shine through before it goes into another barrel that lets the oak shine through. That final barrel is bottled at cask strength, as is. Tasting Notes: This opens with a nose full of salted butter next to hints of very soft leather, light notes of vanilla bean, a touch of toffee sweetness, and freshly cracked walnuts with a dry edge. The taste leans into that oak barrel with dashes of woody spices (think allspice berries, star anise, and cinnamon sticks), dry cherry tobacco leaves, salted caramel, and more of that super soft leather. That leads towards a mid-palate of dark red fruits stewed in mulled wine spices and cut with a dollop of fresh honey before the (long) finish dries out towards an old wicker chair, a very distinct hint of a cellar funk, and a touch of dried mint. The Bottle: Peerless’ bottles are pretty much the most iconic in the business. The bottle is a Georgia-made crystal-clear glass doubler (the one that’s actually used on the distilling floor at the distillery). The stopper is hefty — it feels like you have a damn stone in your hand when you pull that cork. The label is pure nostalgia with a fall-infused color scheme. It’s a heavy bottle but one that you can spot from across the room. Bottom Line: When it comes to craft whiskey from Kentucky, you have a lot of options. Few rise to this level of innovation and deliciousness and this expression is no exception. This is subtle, nuanced, bold, warming, and really easy drinking. I’m going to probably use it for mixing Manhattans all fall and winter this year while also laying down a bottle in the vault (I was at an auction where bottle #1 of this sold for $1,500 US).