Nose: Round ripe fruit nose, bordering on overripe fruit that carries a tang of cider vinegar. Barrel spices that I normally would associate with bourbon barrels, abundant agave and a cognac French barrel bouquet that plays gently with the other aromas. Flavor: Some heat and fire in the first sips, accompanied by slight bitterness and astringency. Salted caramel, vanilla and whiskey notes. The fruitiness and spices of the nosing are faint on the palate, in comparison. While I like this quite a lot, it lacks integrated harmony to me. Finish: Given some time to breathe, the French oak asserts itself.

Great and delightful aroma. Maple notes from the wood itself, cooked agave aroma prevails over the barrel notes. Well balanced añejo. Missing the usual character of higher proof Single Barrels. Balanced interaction between the cask and the agave.

LOT 8ASB-C062017, bottled on 17/06/2019. Color: very pale yellow. Aroma: whiffs of raw cooked agave, minty, pine needles, light vanilla, fresh but thin, ethanol sensation is high, 30 minutes in the glass, the ethanol sensations is lower and agave notes turn sweeter. Caramelized brown sugar. Palate: vanilla mixed with raw agave, grassy, ethanol sensation is high, acidic, astringent, fresh but feels thin. Finish is medium, light vanilla and raw agave persist but not long.