Caramel | Burnt brown butter | Buttered popcorn | Toasted oak | Light vanilla | Faint fresh marshmallow

Vanilla | Tannic oak | White peppercorn | Leather | Peppercorn mix | Faint lemon zest | Thin mouthfeel

Rye spice | Dry oak | Leather | Dash of chocolate | Incredibly dry | Short

15 Stars was started by father-and-son team Rick and Ricky Johnson, who bottle their whiskeys at Bardstown Bourbon Co. in Bardstown, Kentucky. The name “15 Stars'' refers to Kentucky as the 15th state on the second United States flag, which included 15 stars and 15 stripes. Up until this point, the brand has released all of their whiskeys under their 15 Stars brand name, including a First West Bourbon separate from this line with the same name. This new line of First West bottles is the company’s first time creating a new brand line, and notably for the Small Batch and Toasted Oak releases, the first time 15 Stars is using its own distillate in a blend.

For the first three First West releases, the company focused solely on bourbons. The Small Batch release consists of 25 barrels or fewer per batch, ranging in age from 5 to 7 years. The company stepped away from their traditional bottle design, instead bottling the whiskey in a unique, old-timey-looking glass bottle that has “designs inspired by the first bottles crafted in Kentucky and used for whiskey.” While 15 Stars batches usually carry double-digit age statements, the company’s new First West line will focus on flavor versus age. "In place of double-digit age statements seen with 15 STARS, we are able to bring extra flavors into the First West lineup with our heritage grains and continue to use our process of Flavor Proofing™ to create never-before-crafted blends.”

Toasted oak finishing comes in all varieties, as a result of how much the extra time in the second barrel impacts the sip. In the case of First West Toasted Oak Bourbon, the extra toasted oak finishing is evident right from the start as oak notes play a dominant role. An appeasing aroma starts off the sip, focused on classic bourbon scents with a slight twist. The palate transitions to a prominent tannic oak and spice mix and arrives with a thin mouthfeel. The finish is short and incredibly dry, focusing the majority of its short stay on rye spice, dry oak, and leather. Overall, those who enjoy a heavy oak presence will enjoy First West Toasted Oak Bourbon; however, it’s evident that this line has a ways to go to stand out from the rest of the crowd.