Dried apple | Hay | Touch of brown sugar | Unfrosted bundt cake | Mixed nuts | Baking spices | Slight ethanol

Spiced baked green apple | Brown sugar | Pie crust | Baking spices | Aged oak | Heavy cinnamon spice | Faint green peppercorn

Bold cinnamon spice | Leather | Dry oak | Lingering chewy oak and spice

Founded in 2019 by Karl Schoen, the company aims to focus on single cask whiskey through “sourcing the best quality whisky from all over Scotland.” The Perfect Fifth is one of those whiskeys and offers a unique twist on the traditional Kentucky whiskey aging process. This is thanks to the fact that the whiskey spent most of its time aging in Scotland. Canongate 15 Year Single Barrel American Whiskey is a Heaven Hill-sourced whiskey that was aged in Kentucky for the first 3 years of its life, before the barrel was transported to the Lowlands of Scotland to age for another 12 years.

The first thing you’ll notice about Canongate 15 Year upon pouring it into your glass is its color. Typically, a 15 year old Kentucky whiskey is darker in color, reflecting its time in the barrel aging in the hot and cold cycles of a typical Kentucky year. The Lowlands of Scotland are worlds apart both geographically and by temperature compared to Kentucky. Throughout the year, temperatures in the Lowlands range from a low of 37°F to a high of 64°F on average. This is compared to a typical season in Bardstown, Kentucky, which sees temperatures dip into the 20s and upper 80s on average throughout the year.

The change in aging environment is a fascinating experiment on a whiskey originating in Kentucky. The sip starts off with an intriguing aroma thanks to dried apple, hay, unfrosted bundt cake, and mixed nuts, among others. A slight dose of ethanol is present, giving a hint of the whiskey's proof, which the palate carries forward in the form of bold flavors. Spiced baked apple, brown sugar, aged oak, and heavy cinnamon spice punch forward. The cinnamon spice and oak are joined by leather for a bit in the finish, before it drops off, leaving a pleasing lingering chewy oak and spice note.

The end result is a high-aged Kentucky whiskey that drinks unlike most others on the market. It’s rich and flavorful, and even though its proof creates a detriment in the nose, it makes up for it later, thanks to the bold flavors it delivers. For those seeking out an atypical, higher-aged Kentucky whiskey with a fun story to share, you’ll want to seek this one out.