Russell's Reserve 13-Year-Old Bourbon Batch 1 LL/JD (750ml)

Nose: Dark chocolate nibs on the first introduction freshen to the glass. Prevalent sweetness throughout. Lovely strawberry and fig. Strawberry smell is almost fuzzy in my nostrils. Well-aged oak is certainly present from the start. Creamy citrus is riding on the back of the fig note. Feels like a spicy cowboy has rode into town ready for a gun fight. A little bit of dusty funk I'd attribute to a fairly standard Russell's aroma. Nose is actually incredibly light/airy. Time for a sip. Nose turns much more towards caramel now but also carries a slight astringency like wet paint for a moment. After that passes there is a definitive light nuttiness to this; like a bag of mixed nuts, but smelled from a far. It’s mellow & easy on the senses. The oak finally has returned & brought with it a little of vanilla bean. A bit of proof is evident later in the nose. I almost could mistake this for some kind of wine barrel finish honestly. I wish I could keep going on how this had infinite layers, but the complexity seems to have mainly ended here. Empty glass of chocolate, red grape & funky fig.

Palate: Instant sweetness with rich layers of cherry, molasses, and a smoky strawberry with a heavily charred texture. I almost envision a strawberry dump cobbler in a Dutch oven over a bed of coals & a little ash/charcoal has fallen in after moving the lid too quickly. Lovely fruity mouth coating that spreads to every corner of the palate. Slight wine tannin on the linger, but a great sizzle & pop of chocolate & cinnamon. Beautiful sweet layers to this. Very much desert pour level of sweetness for me; I’d pick this over pie. When I first opened this I was getting much more nuttiness. Now the sweet red fruits are almost overwhelming. I’m really glad I didn’t do this bottle the disservice of reviewing the neck poor as it has evolved dramatically after the first open (this is actually my third open now). Very creamy mouth feel, but drying in the cheeks with the heavier oak. Back of the tongue sizzles with a pop rocks spice. Level, well-balanced & delicious.