Limestone Branch
Limestone Branch
50.5%
NAS
A blend of 7yr, 15yr and 16yr bourbon, this release is finished in dry dessert wine casks known as Marsala Superiore, and bottled at 101pf with no coloring or filtering. These releases usually come in near the $120 mark at most stores, although the market fluctuates greatly. 101pf is a nice proof point for bourbon, and the unique wine finish should be an interesting addition to this whiskey. Let's dive in!
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Sweet creme brulee immediately hits me on the nose, followed by a fat stack of brown sugar and maple candies, cracked black pepper, sweet apple crisp, cinnamon and flaky pastry. Heavy vanilla bean, a touch of pear. Intensely sweet and dessert forward on the nose with some pleasant, fruity, undertones.
Moderate viscosity on the palate. Not terribly viscous, but the proof is also dangerously shy. Doesn't drink like 50.5% at all, and there's tons of flavor. Barrel char presents itself first: there's plenty of tannin, sweet oak and drying, woody character. This melds nicely, right into sweet caramels, crisp granny smith apple fruitiness, more maple, a touch of old tobacco and a creme brulee back palate. Dry, then oaky, then sweet and fruity and ends with pure dessert.
Long finish, and this is where the release shines. Tons of character, with a long, decadent, finish that holds onto the brown sugar, creme brulee, sweet oak and a final dash of apple crisp.
Overall, this is a winner, in a shape I've not yet seen from Yellowstone. Their prowess with distilling, aging and now meticulous cask selection for limited editions is showing in what is easily the best Yellowstone Limited Edition I've had to date.
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