Pursuit United (9 Year 2 Months) "Time Under Tension" K&L Single Barrel Double Oaked Cask Strength Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskey (700ml)

When I heard that the fellas at Pursuit United were doing single barrels, I knew we had to get on board. These guys have got a lot of knowledge and chutzpah, and they're committed not only to doing things differently, but to creating a better expression of the great American spirit using new methods. It was a pleasure to visit them at their fabulous tasting room and bar in downtown Louisville, and I can't recommend the stop more highly to anyone who's in the region. But what we came for was the fabulous whiskies they're producing. The idea to source and blend this way is so out there and unique, it must have felt like an incredible risk when they first started out. But now, many years down the line, they control their products inside and out and have incredible flexibility to produce interesting spirits at very reasonable prices. Here we have an incredible mixture of multiple mashbills and barrel types with a total time in barrel, including component aging and blended aging, of just over 9 years. It can't legally be labeled that way, but it certainly shouldn't be thought of as a 4-year-old whisky, the legally claimable age. There were almost 5 additional years in new wood after blending before a perfect kiss of a finish: 3 months in the highest-quality hybrid French and American oak barrels. That's smart because French oak can sometimes add austerity rather than depth, even in short finishes. The resulting spirit drinks light-years beyond its price point and offers familiarity alongside unique character. Here it goes! The color is an intense mahogany (1.6). A huge nose of rich spices, wildflower honey and maple syrup. Behind that, we've got hints of Coppertone, espresso beans, dried herbs, old leather, brambly fruit and kola nut. The palate is dense and dark, drinking almost like an antique whiskey, with huge spice and oak notes balanced by dense red and baked pome fruit. A gloriously rich and woody character that far outpaces its price point and even feels older than the implied age statement suggests.