Rock candy | Honey | Floral undertone | Pleasant

Crème brûlée | Green grape | Apple juice | Candy apple | Very sweet

Light spice | Cinnamon bun | Floral undertone returns | Ample sweetness

Hooten Young was founded by former Special Operations Soldier, Master Sgt. Norm Hooten and Tim Young. If you’ve seen the movie Black Hawk Down, then you may remember Hooten as Eric Bana’s character. The duo created Hooten & Young Wine and Spirits as a tribute to “brave men and women of the armed forces who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.”

Hooten Young Single Barrel Select “Norm Hooten Pick” signifies the launch of the company’s Single Barrel Select program and pays homage to Hooten’s family, who have been making whiskey since the 1800s. According to Hooten, "My family has been in whiskey since before anyone was keeping records. This barrel pick is for them. Everything I know about what makes a great whiskey came from what was passed down to me. Barrel #7 is my way of honoring that."

The barrel selected to launch the program shares the same mashbill as the company’s Bottled in Bond Bourbon, though it ups the proof and age. Single Barrel Select “Norm Hooten Pick” is straightforward and immediately enjoyable. Sweet rock candy, honey, and a floral undertone make for a pleasant aroma. On the palate, bigger flavors of crème brûlée, green grape, apple juice, and a fleeting candy apple note make for a sweet midpoint. Light spice emerges on the finish, with cinnamon bun sweetness following and a reemerging floral undertone. This particular barrel will please those who enjoy sweet, full-flavored bourbons, as it lacks the more savory side of the oak-driven flavor spectrum.

The bourbon in review is bottle number 59 out of 208.