Caramel | Candy corn | Sweet oak | Leather | Cinnamon sugar | Spicy oak | Floral

Sandalwood | Toffee | Toasted marshmallow | Light maple syrup

Toasted cinnamon | Toasted oak | Light char | Black pepper | Lingering floral & maple notes

Located in Lexington, Kentucky, Bluegrass Distillers was established in 2012 and began releasing their products in 2015. Their standard products included Blue Corn Bourbon and Wheated Bourbon, and limited high-aged bourbons. The company also has a toasted oak finished bourbon, but for their latest limited release, they’ve partnered with Pasadena Tournament of Roses to release a version of this bourbon that is higher in age, and surprisingly, lower in price.

Caramel and toasted oak are the stars of this bourbon as you’d expect. It's decidedly sweet, with high amounts of caramel, toffee, sweet oak, cinnamon sugar, and toasted marshmallow, along with maple syrup found throughout. To help offset this sweetness, toasted cinnamon, barrel char, and black pepper do a good job accomplishing this. There is some slight bitterness that lingers on the far backend, and floral and maple notes subside. Given the gentle contrasts that this bourbon exhibits between its sweet and savory sides, it comes together well. The end result is a bourbon that is an agreeable sipper that’s priced just right.