Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon

Nose

Light caramel with a hint of vanilla, some oakiness comes through, backed by with some rye spiciness, every once in a while I get a hint of cotton candy.

Palate

A lighter, almost airy mouthful, initial caramel, vanilla, some drying oakiness and a little rye spiciness starting to intensify.

Finish

Towards the shorter side, some rye spice rises up and then fades to light sweet notes, almost like you just finished a Werther's hard caramel. Mainly caramel type notes but there are also some fruity elements towards the end of the finish.

Overall

The nose and palate both present themselves as light, but there is more going on than expected for the proof and the notes are well executed, though I certainly wouldn't call it complex. I think of this as an improved Eagle Rare, the extra rye in the mash bill makes things a bit more interesting, adding a little more depth to the flavor.

I think it's important to rate Elmer in the context of what it is supposed to be, a 40 dollar, 90 proof bourbon. I don't want to get blasted every night with complex 120 proof beasts, sometimes I just want something easy to sip with classic bourbon flavors and enough going on that it isn't boring as I relax after a days work. With that context, Elmer is a perfect 'daily drinker' bourbon, something I'd reach for regularly if it was attainable. It's a shame the secondary has pushed this into the territory it is, because while delicious, this is not a three figure experience by any stretch of the imagination.