Lot B is known as a common nomenclature in the world of wine - but it's here in the world of whiskey now as well. Van Winkle Lot B is an age stated 12yr bourbon that comprises barrels that were good, but not quite great enough for the lauded Pappy van Winkle releases also released by Buffalo Trace.
Aromas of cinnamon, baking spices, apples, and syrup. The palate shows pitted fruits, citrus rind, dried herbs, and maple candy. Quick/moderate finish with burnt sugars, egg custard, and vanilla beans. Almost a creme brûlée, but stops just short.
This is a good bourbon but its eerily similar to Eagle Rare. I really like that profile, though, so I enjoyed the creaminess, fruitiness and the overall sweetness.
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House Review
Nose:
Sweet and floral and almost fruity. Reminds me very much of Eagle Rare 10 despite the differences. Sweet cream, honey. A bit of oak. Some mild banana almost a faint bubblegum note, mild passion fruit. Sweet, creamy, faint oak overall.
Taste:
Medium thickness, sweet and mild with the most notable flavors being sweet cream, mild oak, and creamy fruitiness.
Finish:
Medium with a faint wisp of heat. Sweet here also, and the fruitiness continues. Faint oak also.
Overall:
This is a good bourbon but its eerily similar to Eagle Rare. I really like that profile, though, so I enjoyed the creaminess, fruitiness and the overall sweetness. I cant say that it is phenomenal, or worth close to even half of its secondary value but I did enjoy it. To me, it was on par with a good ER10 store pick - quality wise. Im going to give this a Rank 6 as a result.
Score:
85
By t8ke
Our in house critic rates spirits on a scale of 0-10 (10 best) and is aggregated the same as external sources