Eye: Fossilized amber.

Nose: Fresh cherry off the tree. Plenty of proof that passes on the second sniff. Chery shell on vanilla ice cream.

Palate: Hot, but candied heat. Pull-apart cherry Twizzlers. Much more bourbon than I’m used to getting on a Stagg Jr. Oak and pink peppercorn. This is hot, but there is flavor here. The oak takes over on the mouthfeel, turning thin and astringent especially on the back palate.

Finish: Cherry, bitter and oaky, unfortunately quite long.

Overall: A hot mess. Somehow oaky like a 20-year-old bourbon in something less than half that age, without enough flavor to back it up.

*Image is not a direct representation of the bottle in stock*