This Pinhook opened up nicely. When I first opened the bottle of Pinhook Bourbon War Vertical 6 Year (Total Wine store pick), there was a robust aroma of light, fresh fruit. A few seconds later, mild cinnamon spice overtook the fruit. The spice dissipated quickly, and the fruit became dominant again. There is no ethanol whatsoever on the nose. The cinnamon spice keeps coming back, but ever so mild. The caramel and light vanilla only show up after letting the bourbon sit in the glass for a while. Even then, the aroma is very gentle during the first experience but opened up nicely on subsequent pours.
Wow, the initial sip of his bourbon is unique. Toffe and spice. It is taking me a while to process this. It seems to be a sweet nutty spice. There was something else on that initial sip, but I was unprepared to analyze it. It didn’t come back. The mouthfeel is nice...a little oily.
The finish lingered. As I’m transcribing my notes, I still feel the warmth in the back of my throat and down my esophagus—a very long finish.