Cherry | Raspberry | Cranberry | Mature oak | Nutmeg | Leather | Nicely layered

Cherry wood | Seasoned oak | Black currants | Cacao nibs

Sandalwood | Leather | Mature oak | Clove | Leans dry | Medium length with a lingering mature oak and cherry wood aftertaste

The Very Olde St. Nick brand is an unusual one. Long a staple of the Japanese (and sometimes European) markets, the brand has quietly been around the American market for some time, but it's a rarity that you ever see it - though that is beginning to change.

Per Preservation Distillery’s MO, little is known about the origins of the bourbon beyond it being sourced from Indiana and Kentucky distilleries, contains bourbon up to 15 years old, and once again, is not labeled “straight.” Often with blends stating they contain double digit age statements, the actual percentage of the older stock tends to be on the low side. Very Olde St. Nick Immaculata doesn’t seem to share that mentality, as it tastes mature and its accompanying flavor profile seems to back that up.

The nose starts with deep and robust scents of cherry, raspberry, and cranberry, before moving to mature oak, nutmeg, and leather. It's well constructed and the scents work very well in conjunction with one another. The palate starts with cherrywood smokiness, and while it never ventures into pure smoke territory, it gives off hints of it. Layers of seasoned oak begin midpalate and continue throughout the rest of the sip before ending on a lingering mature oak accent. The rest of the sip puts further emphasis on its dark and heavy flavors of black currants, cacao nibs, leather, and clove. It’s a well rounded sip that nicely balances all of its flavors.

Very Olde St. Nick Immaculata is interesting in a number of ways. At first sip, it doesn’t make the biggest impression. It tastes heavily oaked, dry, and straightforward. But as it opens up, its maturity and layers of dark fruits become more impressive and profound. It never ventures into pure showstopping territory as you’d expect it to given its price and name, but when it comes down to it, there’s not much like it on the market. Its age combined with its deep and robust flavor profile comes together well in the end.