Hancock's President's Reserve Single Barrel

Nose

Sweet, vanilla with some honey. There is a slightly astringent note as well, this whisky smells like it is going to be dry. More ethanol than I'd expect given the proof. There's not a ton going on here, just classic bourbon notes.

Palate

A light mouthfeel. Initial honey vanilla sweetness followed by a little wave of spice that quickly subsides.

Finish

A short-medium finish, a little rye spice with some vanilla sweetness that gently fades, a little drying, but not as dry as I was expecting. A slight burn on the way down.

Overall

There's just not a ton going on, not that I expect there to be at this proof, but the palate and nose aren't very well executed. The astringent notes, while they aren't terrible, come on far too quick and hurt the otherwise classic bourbon notes too much. There's also too much ethanol on the nose which is detracting, especially given the proof. For me this is a worse Elmer T. Lee / crappy Blanton's - if you told me Hancocks was just rejected barrels of these two brands mixed together, I wouldn't be surprised. It is a shame, because take away the astringency and this becomes a good addition for BT mash bill #2. While there is something here to like if you're a fan of that mashbill (which I am), I wouldn't pick up another bottle.