Dark fruit bouquet | Luxardo cherries | Plum | Black raspberry | Dark red wine | Brown sugar | Light cocoa | Rich | Incredible aroma that brings a wow factor

Blueberry pie | Plum | Dark cherries | Black raspberry | Red wine | Ruby port | Caramel underpinning | Hint of Nocino | Ric

Lingering bouquet of fruit | Cherries | Currants | Baking spices develop | Brown sugar | Medium length

World Whiskey Society (WWS) was established in 2020, and according to the company’s website “comprises an ultra-premium collection of rare expressions previously unavailable to even the most sophisticated whiskey enthusiasts.” WWS seeks out whiskeys from around the world, noting they have “a singular goal in mind - uniqueness - before selecting a distillery partner to join WWS.” Their releases are unique in two ways. The first is aesthetic, with bottle and label designs that range from unique toppers to full decanters and even a bottle that’s wearing a full samurai coat of arms. The second unique aspect is the range of sources, which includes distilleries like Heaven Hill and MGP, but also defunct distilleries and craft distilleries from a range of various states.

World Whiskey Society’s “Classic Collection” shares a similar overall feel in terms of design aesthetics. This includes a consistent label design (though colors vary) and often unique bottle toppers. However, the range of base whiskeys and finishes varies by source, age, and finishing style.

The 10 year old bourbon originated from a distillery in Oklahoma, though the exact source is not disclosed. Presumably, a good candidate is Prairie Wolf Spirits (part of the Wander Folk Spirits family), which opened in 2012 as the first legal distillery in Oklahoma since prohibition. It’s a single barrel, or at least was finished in a single port barrel, or port “pipe” as they are referred to, which typically range from 550-650 liters in size.

If the label and origin were not unique enough for you, the whiskey’s aroma will convince you. Exceptionally aromatic, it’s filled with sweet dark fruit scents and begs you to go in for a sip. The sip follows with a similar array of flavors, and does well to integrate a more familiar caramel underpinning into the base. It finishes with a tapering of those flavors at a medium length. Because it is so aromatic and fruit-forward, those who don’t enjoy dark fruit may not find it quite as enjoyable. But for those who do, the whiskey is extremely satisfying.

The bottle in review is number 331 out of 620.